Caustic Heritage
by hbwgonnabe
Summary: Complete! While looking for missing research and a missing scientific assistant the Hardys discover that there is more in their world than they had dreamed of...
1. Default Chapter

Joe Hardy took his blue eyes off the road briefly to push a blond curl of hair out of his eye causing the van to lurch crazily across the freeway.   
  
"Watch out," his eighteen-year-old brother, Frank, complained, throwing Joe an annoyed glance with his brown eyes as he steadied his laptop   
  
Joe, a year younger, grimaced, and put his attention back on the road. "Sorry." When he pulled the van onto their street, they saw a strange car parked in the driveway.  
  
"I wonder who that can be?" Joe asked, pulling to a stop beside it and shutting of the engine.   
  
Frank shrugged. "Maybe a new client for dad," he suggested as both boys got out the van.  
  
Taller than Joe's six foot by an inch, Frank was also the leaner of the two brothers but both of them were on the high school baseball team - Frank as a Catcher and first baseman, and Joe as a Pitcher- and both were athletic equals in the sport.   
  
"Good pitching today," Frank said, following his brother into the house.  
  
"Thanks, you did a good job catching that one headed out of the park. If Mike had gotten it past you, it would have been a triple homerun for his team," Joe replied, although he kept on his course without turning around. He headed straight for the kitchen, and Frank couldn't keep from grinning. The only thing on Joe's mind now was food, although he had to admit he was hungry himself after four hours of baseball. Their mum was in the kitchen.  
  
"Who's that visiting?" Frank asked his mother, while Joe investigated what was cooking.  
  
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Their tall, angular Aunt Gertrude strode into the room, answering the question instead.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"I'm just being curious, Aunt Gertrude," Frank replied. His aunt raised her eyebrow, before relaxing her expression.  
  
"In fact it's a friend of your father's," she replied. "The Dean of the University. But don't ask me why he's here," she went on, seeing the question forming on Frank's lips. Joe exchanged looks with Frank, and the brothers headed out of the kitchen.  
  
"Get away from there," fussed blond headed Laura Hardy as she caught her youngest son reaching for the cookie jar on his way out. "Dinner will be ready in half an hour."  
  
"What are we having?" Frank asked, glancing over at his blue eyed mother as she gave Joe the evil eye.  
  
"I'm making homemade lasagna," she informed him. "It's your father's favorite."   
  
"Is Dad's visitor staying for dinner?" Joe asked.  
  
"He is," replied Aunt Gertrude, turning her stern green-eyed gaze onto him. "Now go wash up and meet our guest before dinner," she ordered.  
  
"Yes'm," Joe responded meekly, giving Frank a sly glance. They both knew their aunt's gruff demeanor was all an act. They hurried upstairs to do as they had been bid.   
  
***  
  
"Boys, I'd like you to meet Professor Ravelson. He's the Dean of Bayport University," said Fenton Hardy when a freshly showered Frank and Joe made their way into the living room twenty minutes later.  
  
"Pleased to meet you sir," Frank replied, shaking hands. Joe did the same. The professor was distinguished looking, - and - Frank guessed - in his mid to late 50's. He had dark eyes and graying hair, but a pleasant smile.  
  
"Oh, no need for such formality Fenton," the Dean replied, addressing their father. Fenton Hardy was a famous private investigator - and an ex New York Cop. Fenton had been on the New York force for several years before leaving the city and bringing his family to Bayport, where they now lived. At just six feet, Fenton was a little shorter than his eldest son but had his coloring.  
  
"Yes," Professor Ravelson continued, this time to Frank and Joe, "just call me John."  
  
At that moment, their mom came into the room, with another guest.  
  
"Ah-hah, Robert!" Dean Ravelson exclaimed. "I'm glad you could make it!"  
  
"Of course John, my pleasure." This new man turned to Fenton and Laura, his thinning black hair mussed as if the wind had blown it around. Impossible the boys knew because it was a calm evening.  
  
"And thank you to our gracious hosts for inviting us," he said, shaking hands with the detective, and kissing Laura on the cheek.  
  
"These are my sons," Fenton introduced the boys, "Frank - and Joe."  
  
The newcomer almost launched himself at the two boys. "Delighted," he said, his dark blue eyes twinkling. Joe thought he could make-out a foreign accent, but he couldn't guess where from.  
  
"Robert Aliem," he said, vigorously pumping Joe's hand, then doing the same to Frank. After that, he abruptly turned, and walked back to Fenton and John.  
  
"What a strange guy," Joe whispered to Frank. "Foreign sounding too."  
  
"Yes," Frank agreed. "Spanish, I think."  
  
"Now," Fenton said, once they were all seated. "John, you must tell us what brings you here tonight."  
  
"Very well," Professor Ravelson replied. "I've brought Robert along to tell you the story himself, but the short version is somebody's been stealing his research!"  
  
"You see," Robert interrupted carefully, "I have been given a grant to do research concerning the theory of plate tectonics here on the East Coast. While doing research, we, my two assistants, and I came across a large concentration of natural gas. My lab is in Bayport University and doubles as a classroom for the classes I teach there," he broke off briefly to explain. "I keep all my research on the premises. Recently, I noticed some of my research was missing. Now, this information was nothing that could not be gathered again, however, I must produce the information I have gathered so far in order to warrant further extending my grant.   
  
"You see, most of the dynamic tectonic activity takes place on the pacific coast, however, my research has led me to believe that the East Coast has the potential for activity that could be devastating," Robert continued.  
  
"But why would anyone want to steal that type of research?" Joe queried.   
  
"I'm sure I don't know," Robert answered. "But perhaps the real goal of the thief was to take the location of the natural gas pocket?" he theorized.  
  
"Because if there is a pocket then there could be oil underneath," Frank deduced, knowing that natural gas was commonly found above an oil deposit.  
  
"Entirely plausible," Robert agreed. "I had two lab assistants; both of them devoted to the project, until recently."  
  
  
  
"Recently?" Fenton pushed.  
  
"Well, you see, Fridays are our field days. We go out, do the actual labor for the project, then return to the lab and work on the reports. Last Saturday, Craig and Angela were supposed to have completed their reports for the project and be ready to begin something new, but Craig never showed up. When I questioned Angela about the matter, she quit."  
  
"This happened yesterday?" Joe inquired, lifting an eyebrow.  
  
"No," Aliem corrected. "This occurred last weekend."  
  
"I had the university's police force search for Craig, but he isn't to be found," John put in. "His apartment shows no evidence that he planned on leaving. All of his things are still there but he hasn't been to any classes."  
  
"Have you tried to contact his family?" Frank inquired.  
  
"We have, but there have been no answers to my calls and as yet, my letter has gone unanswered," the dean said.  
  
"And you want dad to find Craig and find out who took your research?" Joe guessed, looking at Aliem.  
  
"Exactly," agreed Robert. "Perhaps you and your brother would care to help? I mean, you are closer in age to my two assistants and could perhaps get closer to Angela and Craig's friends."  
  
"We'd be glad to help," Frank answered for himself and Joe.  
  
"Wonderful!" enthused the dean. "I was kind of hoping you would say that." He reached into his pants pocket and extracted two sets of keys. Each set held four keys. He handed a set to Fenton and one to Frank. These keys will get you into the science department, Robert's lab and the supply closet. The other key is for the emergency exits that can only be opened from the inside without a key."  
  
"Thanks," Frank and Fenton acknowledged their receipt.  
  
"Perhaps Joe and I could go and check out the lab tonight after we finish dinner?" Frank suggested.  
  
"I leave the matter entirely in your capable hands," Robert replied. "Just be sure to relock the lab once you leave."  
  
***  
  
Two hours later, Frank and Joe entered the science building. "Uh-oh," Frank murmured. "No sign saying which office belongs to Professor Aliem."  
  
Joe shrugged. "We'll just have to look on the doors then. Could take awhile considering the size of this place."  
  
Frank nodded. "I'll look down here and you check the second floor," Frank instructed Joe. "We'll meet at the steps in thirty minutes. If we haven't found it, we'll take the next two floors."  
  
Joe went upstairs and began checking names on the doors. He arrived at one that was open and although it wasn't Professor Aliem's lab, his curiosity got the better of him and he went inside.   
  
"Hello?" Joe called out in a loud whisper as he entered the room. "Is anyone here?" He looked around the room that had only two above head fluorescent lights going over in the corner of the room.  
  
Hearing no reply, he wandered over to the corner and glanced at the desk which had some papers laid out with a few pictures of wolves. Joe started and turned as he heard a scrapping noise from a crate. Joe moved closer.  
  
It wasn't just a crate, Joe realized. It was a cage with a crate inside it! He reached out and put his hand on the edge of the cage.  
  
At once the sound of stressed wood was heard and the board snapped where Joe's hand was. He felt a sharp pain and snatched his hand back in surprise.   
  
A gruff voice assaulted Joe as the room was at once bathed in light. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" shouted a large irate man entering the room. 


	2. Chapter Two

Holding his hand, which was bleeding, Joe panicked. He took off out the door he had arrived through, barely missing the grasp of the mammoth man who had surprised him. Joe raced down the hall and rounded a corner, stopping and leaning against the wall to catch his breath.  
  
He looked down at his arm to see how much damage had been done, wondering if he would need rabies shots, but was surprised to find there was no wound. Only drying blood on his wrist. "What the..." Joe wondered. He knew he had felt pain, but there was nothing there.  
  
He shrugged. Must have gotten the blood off of the caged crate, he thought, rubbing the now completely dried blood off of him. He contemplated telling Frank as he made his way back to the stairs to meet him but decided against it. No harm, no foul, he thought.  
  
"Hey, I was wondering what happened to you," Frank said as Joe arrived at the designated area. "I found the lab."  
  
Joe followed Frank down the hallway to the lab, flexing his hand as he did so. He felt a tingling sensation in it but saw no reason for it. Must be nerves, he thought. When Frank turned to look at him, Joe quickly relaxed his hand. Letting Frank know he was jumpy about being in a semi-deserted campus building would only give him cause to tease, and Joe wasn't in the mood.  
  
"I doubt we have to worry about fingerprints," Frank said as he unlocked the door and flipped on the light in the lab. "There are so many students coming in and out of here for classes, it would be next to impossible to distinguish an individual set."   
  
"I'll take the left and you start over there," Frank continued, walking over to the first file cabinet in the room.  
  
Joe took his bearings before moving. The other lab he had been in had had a small office attached to it, but this entire lab seemed to be an office, except for the long tables with chairs scattered about. Surely, had that animal been dangerous, it wouldn't have been in an area where the students could get hurt. Joe shook his head. Why was he thinking about this? He hadn't been hurt. There was no wound. But there had been, his subconscious reminded him. "Then where is it now?" Joe growled, yanking open a drawer on the desk he had come to stand in front of.  
  
"What did you say?" Frank asked, looking over at Joe.  
  
Joe glanced up, surprised he had said something out loud. "Um, nothing," he said, shaking his head and putting his mind on the task at hand.   
  
It was several more minutes before either boy made any noise other than the ruffling of papers. Joe closed the last drawer on the desk with a bit more force than he had intended. "What exactly are we looking for here?" he demanded, looking over at Frank who was busy putting a folder back into the file cabinet drawer.  
  
"Anything out of the ordinary," Frank replied calmly. Joe always did get upset if he didn't find something right away. "Besides, you should try and familiarize yourself with some of the material you find," he informed Joe. "Starting tomorrow, we become the professor's assistants. It would help if we knew what we were supposed to be doing, don't you think?"  
  
"Yeah, but the Prof gave us those notebooks to go over at home," Joe argued. "He said they held enough information to get us by."  
  
"Until we meet someone who knows more about the research than we do," Frank pointed out. "We have to go see Angela tomorrow and if she is involved, we need to be able to distinguish if she knows more than she is supposed to."  
  
"Great," Joe moaned, opening the top drawer of the desk he had just gone through and pulling out a folder. He sat down and began looking through it with more intensity than he had shown previously.  
  
Frank grinned, shook his head, and removed another folder from the file cabinet. He had a photographic memory and had only to read over an item once to memorize it's contents. Joe tried, but in the end, Frank knew, it was up to him to really pay attention to what was said.   
  
Their roles in their partnership had been established a long time ago. He was the brains. He thought through problems and considered their possible outcomes. If something was illogical, he tossed out the problem and started over. Everything could be boiled down to logic. Joe, on the other hand, although intelligent in his own right, was more the muscle part of the duo. He tended to act first and think later; sometimes ignoring the warnings of his brother. In life, nothing was cut and dried and so the two ended up meshing perfectly. Where one was weak, the other was strong. Neither boy put the other down because of their weaknesses, they just used their own strengths to make up for it. This formula had served them well since their first case and they had no intention of changing.  
  
"What about Craig?" Joe asked, disturbing Frank once again. Joe had already closed the folder, unable to concentrate, no matter how hard he tried. "Where do we start with him?"  
  
"I guess we should ask Angela and if she has no idea, maybe his family?" Frank suggested with a shrug. "Unless he was kidnapped, they must have heard from him."  
  
"Shouldn't we check out some oil companies?" Joe suggested. "Maybe Craig or whoever took the research has tried to contact one of them."  
  
"That's not a bad idea," Frank said, looking impressed. "If an oil company could get the government to sell them the land where the natural gas deposits were found, they could make a hefty profit even if they paid someone for the information."  
  
"Or whoever took the info could try and buy the land," Joe said.  
  
Frank shook his head. "That would be too obvious. It would..." he broke off as the door opened and the silhouette of a man was framed at the threshold.   
  
"What are you two boys doing here?" he asked, looking at first one boy and then the other one, keenly. Joe had the distinct impression it was the man from upstairs.  
  
"We're Professor Aliem's new assistants," Frank replied. "And you are?"  
  
"Dr. Mayhem," he replied dismissively. "Where either of you boys just upstairs?"  
  
"No," Joe answered a bit too quickly. Frank's eyes narrowed and he looked over at his brother.   
  
"Have you seen anyone else in the building?" Dr. Mayhem pushed, still looking at the two boys alternately.  
  
"No," Frank answered the question, looking over at him. "Why? Was something disturbed upstairs?"  
  
"No, it's just that I am working on a behavioral study of wolves and they seemed a bit restless; like someone had been in my lab," he answered.  
  
"They will calm down, though," Joe pointed out. "They are tame, aren't they?"  
  
"No," Dr. Mayhem denied. "What good would a tame wolf do in a behavioral study?"  
  
Joe shrugged. "Well, if you see anyone else in the building, please let me know at once, won't you?" the doctor continued.  
  
"Why?" Joe asked, "Lock your lab and he can't get in, right?"  
  
"Well, you see, it's possible if someone had been in my lab, he may have gotten hurt," the doctor admitted. "If one of my wolves got at him, he would be in serious danger."  
  
"Your wolves are rabid?" Frank asked, watching Joe's face go white.  
  
"No, of course not," Dr, Mayhew denied. "That would never be allowed on campus."  
  
"Then how could this person be in danger?" Frank pushed.  
  
Dr. Mayhew's face took on an annoyed look. He obviously didn't like having to answer Frank's question but to not do so would look like he was hiding something. "Infection," he finally replied.   
  
"Well, the point is moot anyway," Joe interrupted. "We haven't seen anyone and unless someone comes in here, we aren't likely too."  
  
The man nodded his head at the remark and turned to leave. He glanced back at Joe before he exited and made one last statement, "Should you see anyone, tell him it is urgent he contact me. His life could depend on it." 


	3. Chapter Three

"His life could depend on it?" Joe scoffed, after the door had closed behind him.. "Who is he kidding? He just said the only problem would be an infection. A tetanus shot would take care of that."  
  
"Where you in his lab?" Frank asked Joe.  
  
Joe looked up into his brother's eyes and considered lying. "Yes," he finally admitted. "But I was looking for this one, remember?"  
  
"Did you get near one of the wolves?" Frank demanded, coming over and snatching up Joe's hand. He had spotted the dried blood. "It bit you?"  
  
"No," Joe denied, pulling his hand away.  
  
"Let me see," Frank ordered, taking his hand once again. He gave it a close inspection and then dropped it. "Well, at least it didn't bite or scratch you or anything," he said, returning to the file cabinet.   
  
"I wonder why he's so interested in an intruder anyway?" Joe asked, his blue eyes going a shade darker. "I didn't disturb anything."  
  
"Who knows?" Frank shrugged. "One mystery at a time, huh? Get back to work."  
  
Joe looked through a few more folders but finally gave up and just sat at the desk watching Frank go through the material he found in the file cabinets. Two hours after their arrival at the lab, Joe had had enough. "We aren't finding anything here," he said, standing up. "Can we leave now?"  
  
Frank looked up from the paper he was reading. "Ten more minutes?" he asked, realizing Joe was bored.  
  
"Okay," Joe agreed. "But I'm going to see if there's a bathroom in this place." Frank nodded, his concentration once again on the paper in front of him.  
  
Joe smiled and shook his head. He envied Frank's ability to absorb information no matter how dull it seemed, but he had accepted the fact that he, himself, was no scholar and chose not to waste time trying to be something he wasn't.  
  
Knowing he hadn't passed the restroom on his way to the lab, Joe headed in the other direction. As he neared the end of the hall, the over-powering scent of pine assaulted his nostrils. Wrinkling his nose to try and block the smell, he reached the bathroom and went inside. He went to the sink and washed his hands, eliminating the rest of the blood from them, then splashed some water on his face. Drying off, he hurried back out before he got sick from the pine smell.  
  
Exiting the men's room, he crashed into the towering figure of Dr. Mayhem. "Isn't there a men's room on the second floor?" Joe asked, looking at the brown headed man suspiciously.  
  
"There is," admitted Mayhem, "But I..uh.."  
  
"Still looking for your intruder?" Joe guessed correctly when Mayhem's speech began to falter. "Why don't you just relax? I'm sure if he was hurt by one of your wolves he would go to the hospital," he added, wrinkling his nose again. Someone must have dropped a bottle of the concentrated stuff in the bathroom, the thought flashed through Joe's mind.  
  
"I suppose you are right," Mayhem agreed, watching Joe's facial features curiously. "I guess I will see you around since you're interning here?" he asked casually.  
  
"It will probably be inevitable," Joe agreed.  
  
"Are you living on campus?" Mayhem inquired in a friendly tone, his green eyes still searching Joe's face.  
  
The hairs on Joe's neck stood up as a warning bell sounded in his brain. Was this man somehow involved with Craig's disappearance? Did he know anything about the missing research? "No," Joe replied. "I'm staying with some friends," he fibbed.  
  
"Nearby?" Mayhem asked quickly, then, as if realizing he sounded too inquisitive, continued. "It would be a shame for you to have to commute a long way. I, myself, live only a few blocks from campus and have an extra room if you find your commute to be too long."  
  
"Thanks for the offer," Joe said. "I'll keep that in mind. Now, if you'll excuse me, I..uh..have to get Frank. It's time for us to leave."  
  
"Of course," Mayhem said, stepping aside to let Joe pass.  
  
"That took long enough," Frank commented when Joe returned to the lab.  
  
"I bumped into the eerie Dr. Mayhem," Joe informed his brother. "Let's go. I'll tell you about it on the way," he promised.  
  
"He invited you to stay with him?" Frank asked in disbelief after Joe had told him about his bizarre conversation with Mayhem. His forehead wrinkled in thought. "Maybe we should have him checked out."  
  
"Agreed," Joe said. "But why would a scientist who specializes in wolves be interested in plate tectonics?"   
  
***  
  
The next morning it was decided that while Joe went to the university to meet with Professor Aliem and begin work as his intern, Frank would go and visit Angela Thompson, the professor's former intern.  
  
Frank checked the address he had written down then looked back to the enormous closed gate blocking the entrance. The addresses matched. He reached through the window of the van and pushed the button on the stone wall standing to the front and side of the gate.  
  
"Yes?" inquired a voice through an intercom.  
  
"I would like to see Ms. Angela Thompson, please," Frank requested, his voice firm but polite.  
  
"Have you an appointment?" the voice asked.  
  
"No," admitted Frank, frowning. He had thought he might have a problem getting her to talk to him. Not being allowed to see her had never crossed his mind. "I'm from the university," he added, hoping that would make a difference.  
  
"One moment, please," the detached voice stated.  
  
Frank waited a minute. And another. And another. He put the van into reverse but before he could step on the gas to back out, the massive gate began to swing open. Frank put the van back into first gear and drove through the open gate and up the drive, coming to a stop in front of the three-story mansion.  
  
He was greeted at the door by a young woman in her early twenties with long, black hair which had been braided and clung to her waist at the side. The woman's eyes were so dark, Frank could have sworn they were black yet her skin was fair, making him think the sun seldom, if ever, touched her.  
  
"I'm Frank Hardy," Frank introduced himself, aware he had been staring. "I'm one of Professor Aliem's' new assistants. Are you Angela?" he asked.  
  
"I am," Angela acknowledged. "I'm afraid I don't understand. Why are you here?"  
  
Frank hesitated only for a second before deciding to be completely honest with her. "I'm a private investigator. We, my father, brother, and I, have been asked to look into the disappearance of some of the professor's research and the disappearance of Craig Deyman."  
  
"And you think I have something to do with it," she commented bitterly. "Please leave," she continued, her voice turning hard. "You are not welcome here." With these words, the door behind her opened fully and two beefy individuals stepped through. Both men were scowling at Frank with an intensity that turned his stomach into knots. 


	4. Chapter Four

Joe arrived at Professor Aliem's lab as he was unlocking the door. "Ah, good, you're here early," the professor beamed at Joe. "But where is Frank?" he inquired, looking behind Joe as if expecting him to materialize.  
  
"He went to see Angela," Joe informed him. His brow furrowed. "You do know Frank and I don't know much about your project and as such can't really help with your research?"  
  
"I know," Aliem acknowledged. "I have two new interns starting today."  
  
"How are you going to explain four interns on a limited budget?" Joe inquired curiously.  
  
"My new interns will be doing this for credit, not pay," the professor explained. "It will count toward their total credit hours."  
  
"When will they be arriving?" Joe asked, wondering if he would have any time to go through some of the files he and Frank hadn't gotten to the previous evening. It had been his fault, he knew. He had been jumpy after going into Dr. Mayhem's lab but after a good night's sleep, he felt not only rested but also confidant.  
  
"Not until noon," Aliem informed him. "I have to leave in a few minutes myself," he continued. "I have a meeting with the department head and then I need to talk with Dr. Anderson and see if he still has the negatives for the site we were exploring."  
  
"Wait a minute," Joe said as the door opened and he followed Aliem inside. "Exactly how many people are involved in your research?"  
  
"Angela and Craig were my assistants," Aliem said. "They knew everything."  
  
"But how many people only knew a little?" Joe inquired. "We need to know about everyone who knew of your research and how far it's come."  
  
"That does complicate matters a bit," Aliem said, frowning thoughtfully. "Better grab a pen and sheet of paper," he added, waving his hand at his desk.  
  
Joe sat down on the corner of the desk and plucked a pen from the cup on the corner. Pulling the notepad close to him, he looked at the professor expectantly.  
  
"Roger Anderson," Aliem began. "He's in charge of the photographic department. Victor Tristram. He's the head of the geography department. Elie Whitlock. She's our photographer. Then there are the students who helped with carrying our equipment and the actual fieldwork. Isaac Ansley, Blayne Moore, Walt Eberhard, Seymour Smedley, Laurel Lamont, and Teddy Roark."  
  
Joe counted the names. Nine. "You're right," Joe agreed. "This does complicate things. Are all the students geography majors?" he asked.  
  
"No," admitted Aliem. "Most of them are on loan from other departments. Students who wanted a break from their regular classes but still got counted as being present."  
  
Joe sighed. It was going to be a long day. "Okay," he said. "I'll start with the students."  
  
"Lock up before you leave," Aliem instructed, opening one of the file cabinets and removing a folder. "I'll be back by noon."  
  
***  
  
"Wait a minute," Frank begged, holding his hands up, palms side showing. "I don't think you're guilty. That's not why I'm here."  
  
"Then why have you come?" Angela demanded.  
  
"I came to ask you some questions," he replied honestly. "If I had thought you were guilty, I would have told you I was Aliem's new assistant and made up some excuse to get you to talk to me."  
  
"Why didn't you?" Angela demanded, tilting her head and looking at him through thick dark lashes.  
  
"I've been taught to trust my instincts," Frank answered, feeling no need to lie. "And my gut's telling me you can be trusted."  
  
One of the men laughed loudly and clamped a hand on Frank's shoulder. "This one, I like," he told Angela.  
  
"Much better than that other one," the other man agreed.  
  
"Other one?" Frank asked, quirking an eyebrow.  
  
"Craig," Angela said, sighing. "All right," she relented. "You can come inside."  
  
"We'll see you later, Sis," one of the men said as Frank started inside.  
  
Frank paused and turned around. "Before you leave, can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"What was your opinion of Craig?" Frank wanted to know.  
  
"We only met him the one time," one of the Thompson brothers hedged.  
  
"First impressions can be revealing," Frank said.  
  
"He struck me as a lazy good for nothing," the other brother said. "He kept trying to get Angela to do his work for him."  
  
"It's not as bad as it sounds," Angela said as her brothers left. "He only wanted me to cover for him for one day while he went out with Elie."  
  
"Elie?"  
  
"One of the students who has been helping out in the field," Angela told him.  
  
"Wait a minute," Frank said, scowling. "I thought you, Craig and the Dean were the only ones who knew about Professor Aliem's work."  
  
"Good Heavens, no," Angela laughed. "There are quite a few of us. Craig and I, however, were the only ones privy to all the information the professor gathered."  
  
"The professor mentioned finding a pocket of natural gas," Frank said. "Were there any other significant discoveries?"  
  
"The research itself is important," Angela told him. "If the professor's theory pans out, as all our research to date indicated it will, the info could be used to estimate, with a fair amount of accuracy, when and where a major quake will occur on the east coast."  
  
"Could any of the research be used to make a profit?" Frank inquired.  
  
"Not all research is for monetary gain," Angela told him stiffly.  
  
"I know," Frank said. "I'm just trying to find a motive for stealing the research."  
  
"I suppose some of it could be used to determine areas where there might be oil," she said.  
  
"Like the natural gas pocket you found," Frank said.  
  
"No," she denied. "Oh, we hit natural gas, but it wasn't natural. That is, it was a pipe we busted."  
  
Frank went still. Why had Aliem made it seem like the pocket of natural gas had been the reason behind the stolen research? 


	5. Chapter Five

Joe took the list of names and headed across campus to the administration building. After a short wait, he was admitted into the Dean's office.  
  
"And what can I do for you?" Dean Ravelson asked, smiling at Joe.  
  
"I need the records on these students," Joe requested, holding out the paper he held.  
  
The dean took the paper then punched a button on the intercom on his desk. He requested the files for everyone on Joe's list, thanked his secretary, and then turned the intercom off.  
  
"This is quite a list," Ravelson said, waving Joe to a seat.  
  
"Tell me about it," grumbled Joe.  
  
"Not ready to give up on this case, are you?" the dean asked in concern.  
  
"Not by a long shot," Joe denied, scowling at the suggestion. "We don't quit."  
  
"Of course not," the dean apologized, feeling threatened for some reason. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded."  
  
"Forget about it," Joe told him, his happy countenance coming to the fore.  
  
"You're graduating in a little over a year from high school, aren't you?" Ravelson asked Joe.  
  
"Yes," Joe acknowledged with a nod.  
  
"Have you decided on where you're going to attend college?"  
  
"Probably here," admitted Joe. "I have a 3.4 GPA and have been taking college prep courses."  
  
"Have you seen our curriculum guide?" the dean asked.  
  
"Not yet," Joe replied. "Frank has one but he's been pouring over it and I haven't gotten a chance to glance through it yet."  
  
The dean stood and walked over to one of the shelves that lined his wall and pulled out a thick paperback book. He returned to his desk and, sitting on the corner, handed it to Joe. "This is the book we send our prospective students," he said. "It tells not only about the various fields of study and courses offered for the upcoming year, but also about our teachers, residence halls, bookstore, library and every other area of the university. It even gives our history." He paused for a breath but the smile on his face never faltered. "We update this every year so when you are ready to attend, the curriculum will be altered and since we are continually expanding there will be more ground for you to explore. But take this and go over it. I would be honored to have you and your brother as students here."  
  
"Thank you," Joe said, looking at the back of the book where a miniaturized map of the university could be seen.  
  
"We have an excellent legal curriculum as well as geological and environmental," the dean continued his spiel. "As a matter of fact, our environmental department is the best in the country."  
  
"Would wolves be included in that field of study?" Joe inquired, his mind returning to the professor he had kept encountering the previous evening.  
  
"Yes, but it can also fall under veterinary science," the dean informed him. "Fancy wolves?" he asked. "We have a leading authority on them. A Dr. Boris Mayhem. He has a doctorate in three fields. Genetics, Veterinary Science and Environmental Studies."  
  
"Wow!" Joe said, impressed. "He didn't seem that old!"  
  
Dean Ravelson laughed. "Actually, he's thirty-four. But the man's a bona fide genius. He graduated high school when he was eleven and had his first doctorate by the time he was sixteen."  
  
"How long has Dr. Mayhem been with the university?" Joe inquired. Okay, so the man is brilliant. But he could still be involved, thought Joe.  
  
"This is his first semester. We had to lure him here with a grant for his research," the dean confided. "But we're hoping he will decide to stay on permanently."  
  
No telling the dean Mayhem may be involved, Joe noted silently.  
  
There was a knock on the door and Ravelson's secretary entered carrying several folders with her. After she had left, the dean handed the folders to Joe. "There's a vacant room down the hall and on your right," he informed Joe. "When you're finished, return them to my secretary."  
  
"I will," Joe assured him. "Thank you," he added, taking the files and leaving the dean's office.  
  
An hour and a half later, Joe returned the folders and left the building. Three of the people he had researched were students of Dr. Mayhem. Joe stopped at the first payphone he saw and called home.  
  
"Dad, have you found anything out about Dr. Mayhem?" Joe asked when his father answered.  
  
"I have," Fenton replied, then proceeded to tell Joe much of what the Dean already had.  
  
"I'd like to take him up on his offer," Joe said when Fenton had finished.  
  
"Why?" Fenton demanded curiously.  
  
Joe told him about the three students. "It just seems too much of a coincidence to me," he ended.  
  
"If Mayhem is involved it could be very dangerous," Fenton said, his forehead creased in thought. "I don't think I want you staying with him."  
  
"What if Frank stays too?" Joe asked.  
  
"He was invited?" Fenton inquired.  
  
"Nooo," Joe replied hesitantly. "But if I can get him invited too, can we?"  
  
"Very well," Fenton relented.  
  
"Have you heard from Frank yet?" Joe asked.  
  
"He called form Angela's," Fenton told him. "He was heading over to see someone named Elie Whitlock."  
  
"She's the photographer for Professor Aliem's project," Joe informed his dad. "I'll head on over to the science building," he continued. "I guess Frank will show up there before too long."  
  
"Be careful," Fenton cautioned. He knew the words were useless where his rash, headstrong son was concerned but he felt obligated to say them none-the-less.  
  
Joe hung up and headed over to the science building. He stopped at the top of the first flight of stairs and took a deep breath, then began coughing. The breath he had taken to calm himself down reeked of smoke! 


	6. Chapter Six

"Hey, man. Are you all right?" asked someone, coming over to Joe and slapping him on the back.  
  
Joe continued hacking for a few more seconds before nodding, his eyes bloodshot. He nodded as he caught his breath. "Yeah. I'm fine," he said. "I think I just got my lungs full of smoke," he added as doors opened and more students began filtering into the halls.  
  
"You must have a powerful set of lungs," the guy commented. "Jimmy's smoking all the way at the other end of the hall." The boy left with one of the other students and soon the halls were almost clear.  
  
"Hello. Joe, wasn't it?" greeted Dr. Mayhem from the doorway of his lab.  
  
"That's right," Joe acknowledged.  
  
"Why don't you come in and sit down?" Dr, Mayhem invited. "After that coughing fit, I'm sure you could use a breather."  
  
"Don't say that," begged Joe. "It was taking a deep breath that set me off," he explained, following Mayhem into his lab and taking a seat.  
  
"What brings you to this floor?" Mayhem inquired, lifting a shaggy brown eyebrow.  
  
"Professor Aliem suggested I talk with some of the students who have been involved with his project. He thought I might have an easier time catching up that way," Joe fibbed. "And three of the students take your classes. One, Teddy Roark, has you next period," he added, glancing at his watch and noticing there was only twenty minutes left before Mayhem's next class began. "I was hoping to catch her before class and arrange a meeting."  
  
"Aliem hasn't mentioned needing them today, has he?" Mayhem inquired, frowning.  
  
"No," Joe assured him. "Matter of fact, he hasn't even mentioned the next outing at all."  
  
"Friday, most likely," Mayhem said. "I don't mind my students avoiding classes on Fridays. I use those to recap the week's lectures and answer questions."  
  
Joe stood up. "I'll wait outside," he offered. "I'm sure you need to prepare for your next class."  
  
"I'm ready," Mayhem told him, sighing. "I usually chat with a student between classes but, alas, none were in a talkative mood."  
  
"You sound lonely," Joe commented. "Do you live alone? Oh, I'm sorry," he quickly apologized. "That wasn't very tactful, was it? I shouldn't have asked such a personal question."  
  
"That's quite all right," Joe was assured. "Yes, I live alone but occasionally, I would enjoy having someone to converse with," he said and looked at Joe with an engaging smile. "I don't suppose you've changed your mind and would like to take my spare room?"  
  
Joe shook his head. "I'd like too. Really. I hate spending over an hour each way on the road, but my brother and I are strangers in this city and our parents made us promise to stick together."  
  
"The room is big enough for two," Mayhem beseeched. "It even has twin beds."  
  
"How much do you want for rent?" Joe asked, tilting his head to the side as if considering the possibility.  
  
"Dinner," Mayhem stated. "I hate to cook. If you and your brother will furnish or even better, prepare dinner every other night, we'll call it even."  
  
"Sounds too good to be true," Joe commented knowing Mayhem had an ulterior motive for wanting them to stay with him.  
  
"Ah, don't forget the conversation," Mayhem reminded him. "I do enjoy company."  
  
"I'll have to check with my brother but I'm sure he won't mind," Joe said. "If you're sure?" Mayhem nodded. "When would be convenient for us to move in?"  
  
"This evening?" Mayhem suggested. "I should be home by seven and can let you in and get settled. I'll even have two keys made for you."  
  
"That's wonderful!" Joe exclaimed, beaming. "I really appreciate your offer. Especially since I'm not even one of your students."  
  
"Perhaps next semester," Mayhem suggested, looking to the door as the first few students arrived. "Ah, Teddy. Could you come here a minute?"  
  
A young girl, barely nineteen, walked over, her short auburn hair bouncing as she moved. She smiled shyly at the professor as she neared. "Teddy Roark, I would like you to meet Joe Henderson," Mayhem introduced the two youths. "Joe is one of Professor Alien's new assistants."  
  
"Hello," Teddy greeted him, her brown eyes friendly.  
  
"Hi," Joe replied, standing up. She stood five inches shorter than Joe's six feet and weighed barely a hundred pounds. "I was wondering if I could talk to you a little while?" he asked. "About Professor Aliem's work."  
  
"Class is about to begin," she said with a shake of her head.  
  
"Oh, no. Not now," Joe hastily assured her. "I was thinking after class. In the cafeteria, maybe? Lunch is on me."  
  
"Make it the sweet shop and you've got a deal," Teddy bargained, grinning.  
  
"Great. I'll see you there. Thanks," he added as she left and took her seat at one of the lab tables nearest Mayhem's desk.  
  
"Thank you," Joe said to Mayhem, shaking his hand.  
  
"Shh," Mayhem cautioned. "After spending a few days with me you might not be so grateful," he kidded, although Joe got the distinct impression the professor's words were more prophetic than banter. 


	7. Chapter Seven

After talking with Angela for a little longer, Frank left the Thompson residence and returned to the van. After making a quick call home to let his dad know where he was going, he drove to the university to find Elie Whitlock.  
  
Angela had told him Elie was the photographer for the project so Frank went to the photographic department. There were only four professors listed in the department: Roger Anderson, Anthony Jenkins, Roger Matterson and Roland Tannebaum.  
  
Professor Tannebaum occupied the office closet to where Frank was so he went there and rapped on the door after observing the listed office hours and checking his watch.  
  
"Enter," instructed the voice from within.  
  
Frank opened the door and stepped into a room slightly smaller than his bedroom at home. The place held a desk, chair, two file cabinets and four bookcases. Every available space was filled with either books, brochures, or photographic equipment. On the wall behind the desk were framed diplomas and a diorama of the campus taken at least fifty years previously. The lone window to the right of the desk looked out to face the duck pond where several students could be seen enjoying their lunch or in beach garb soaking up the sun's rays.  
  
"You're not one of my students," Tannebaum commented, looking at Frank through curious green eyes.  
  
"No, Sir," Frank acknowledged, taking in the tanned, athletic man before him. He was sitting at his desk so Frank could not judge the man's height but he estimated the man was no taller than himself although a bit more solidly built. His legs were hidden by the desk but he wore a denim shirt with the top three buttons open revealing a hairy chest. The man's face was covered with a beard and mustache which matched his sun-faded hair.   
  
"My name is Frank Henderson. I'm Professor Aliem's new assistant," he introduced himself. "I'm trying to find Elie Whitlock."  
  
Tannebaum's face distorted into a scowl. "How did he manage to find a new assistant so fast?"  
  
"Do you have a problem with Professor Aliem?" Frank asked, watching his face closely.  
  
"No. With the university," Tannebaum stated. "It took me almost an entire semester to obtain a new assistant when I had a grant for a project year before last."  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that," Frank commented.  
  
"Don't be," Tannebaum said with a sigh. "It's nothing to do with you, I'm sure. Or Professor Aliem. You said you were looking for Elie?" he queried, changing the subject. He knew better than to discuss such matters with students. Frank gave a curt nod. "I couldn't tell you where to find her now but she's in my two o'clock class. You should be able to catch her then."  
  
"Excellent," Frank commented, smiling. "Um, which room would that be in?"  
  
"Three nineteen," Tannebaum informed him.  
  
Frank thanked him and left. It was only a little after eleven. He had time to go see how Joe was doing. Maybe Joe would want to talk to Elie instead of him. Photography was, after all, one of Joe's hobbies.  
  
Frank reached the science building in time to see Joe descend the last step from the previous floor. He hurried over to Joe and together they made their way back to Professor Aliem's geology laboratory.  
  
"What were you doing upstairs?" Frank asked. "You didn't go back to Mayhem's lab, did you?"  
  
"That's exactly what I did do," Joe confessed, giving his elder brother a mischievous look.  
  
"Spill," ordered Frank, sitting down on one of the tables and watching Joe's face. He knew that look well.  
  
Joe told him everything he had learned and then dropped the bomb. "I cleared it with Dad," he began.  
  
"Cleared what?" Frank demanded, his eyes narrowing to slits as they looked at Joe suspiciously.  
  
"We're moving in with Dr. Mayhem tonight," Joe informed him, then rushed on before Frank could voice any objections. "We can keep an eye on him and, even if he does turn out to be innocent, we'll be closer to campus and will have more time to work on the case."  
  
Frank had began to frown as Joe talked and was positively scowling by the time he had finished. "Joe, we had already talked this over," Frank began his lecture.  
  
"But that was before I found out no less than three," he held up three fingers to emphasize his point, "of the students working on this project are in his class. That's too much of a coincidence for me." Seeing Frank about to argue, Joe decided it might be prudent to change the subject at this juncture. "What did you find out from Angela?"  
  
Frank told Joe about his meeting Angela and her two brothers. "She said Craig tried to get her to cover for him while he and Elie went out."  
  
"Wouldn't the professor notice if one of his assistants and his photographer were absent in the field?" Joe asked curiously.  
  
"No," Frank said, shaking his head. "Craig was supposed to have a report completed to turn in on Friday morning before they went into the field but he had made a date with Elie for Thursday night. Angela refused and Craig never showed up the next day. Or any day since."  
  
"So you went to see Elie," Joe said, remembering his conversation with his father.  
  
"I did, but she won't be around until two this afternoon," Frank informed him. "Maybe you should go see her instead of me," he continued. "I know more about what's going on here and maybe since you know a lot about photography, you could lower her guard and find out more than I could."  
  
"Sounds like a plan," Joe replied. "The professor said he'd be back around noon. That's when his real new interns are supposed to get here too." As he finished speaking, his stomach let out a loud growl.  
  
Frank smiled. "Why don't you cut out and grab some lunch before you meet Elie?" he suggested. "The cafeteria is near her building."  
  
Joe shook his head. "I'm cutting anyway. I have to meet Teddy in the sweet shop in about," he glances at his watch, "twenty-five more minutes."  
  
"Hmm. Two girls in one afternoon. What are you going to tell Vanessa?" teased Frank.  
  
Joe shot him a sour look and headed for the door. When Teddy arrived at the sweet shop, Joe was sitting at a table for two, finishing off his second donut. "Hi," he said, standing to greet her. "Tell me what you want and I'll go get it for you," he offered as she took a seat and set her backpack on the floor beside her.  
  
"A sherbet surprise and a chocolate glazed donut," she replied, grinning up into his face as he gave her his most disarming smile.  
  
"Coming right up," he told her, then moved away. When he returned, he set a tray on the top of his old one after she moved his coffee. He scooted her donut and beverage over, then picked up the eclair he had gotten for himself and took a big bite. He was amazed he was this hungry. Two donuts usually filled him up but it felt like he hadn't had even a single bite. Joe's stomach growled. Hamburgers, he thought. That's what I really want.  
  
Teddy giggled. "That's the first time I've heard anyone's stomach growl while they were eating."  
  
"What can I say?" Joe asked. "I'm an unusual guy."  
  
"Okay, you've kept up your end of the bargain, now it's my turn," Teddy said, smiling as she changed the subject. "What did you want to talk about?"  
  
"The work you've been doing for Professor Aliem," Joe answered. "I just started working for him."  
  
"You're taking Craig's place?" she asked.  
  
Joe nodded. "Be careful," she warned him. "I know everyone thinks Craig stole some of the professor's research and disappeared but..."  
  
"But?" prodded Joe, taking her hand and gently rubbing the tops of her fingers.  
  
"But he was scared," she continued. "He said he was working late and heard something. He went to investigate."  
  
"What did he find?" Joe asked gently when she quit speaking.  
  
Teddy shook her head. "I don't know. He wouldn't say. He just...he just told me not to go outside at night. It wasn't safe. And he told me that I should stop taking courses under Dr. Mayhem." 


	8. Chapter Eight

Joe was waiting in the hall when Elie's class let out. "Are you Elie Whitlock?" Joe asked one of the only four girls to exit the room.  
  
"Wish I were," the young woman replied with a regretful smile.  
  
"I am," said the last girl to exit the room. "Who are you?"  
  
"Joe Henderson," Joe answered. "I'm one of Professor Aliem's new assistants," he introduced himself. "I was hoping I could talk with you about the project."  
  
"As long as it's over something to eat," Elie responded. "I skipped lunch."  
  
"The cafeteria?" suggested Joe. "My treat."  
  
"The Big K," she said, shaking her head. "You buy. I'll drive."  
  
"Deal," Joe agreed at once, more than ready for something solid to eat. The donuts and eclair had been neither filling nor as good as they usually were.  
  
Joe followed the lithe young woman out of the building. He watched blond hair, braided in the back, swing back and forth, the tips brushing her hips as she led the way to the nearest parking lot. She grinned as she glanced back at Joe, her green eyes sparkling and soft as the gentle waves near the Virgin Islands on a calm day. "I lucked out. My aunt Kaitlyn was going to school here but she dropped out when Antone proposed to her. She moved to France and I got her truck and parking sticker."  
  
"Not bad," agreed Joe, remembering he had been given a parking spot almost a mile from campus and had to take a bus the rest of the way. Elie stopped beside a large fiery red Dodge truck and tossed her backpack in the back. She unlocked the driver's door and climbed inside. Joe waited for her to unlock the passenger side then pulled open the door and hopped in.  
  
"What all do you want to know?" Elie asked, putting her arm across the seat between them and looking over her shoulder as she backed out of her space.  
  
"Pretty much everything," Joe replied. "I've just started and the professor suggested I might learn faster by talking to everyone involved with the project."  
  
"Sounds plausible," she said, turning around and switching gears.  
  
"How did you get the position of photographer?" Joe inquired.  
  
"Photography has always been a hobby of mine," she replied. "My dad taught me everything I know on the subject."  
  
"Your dad?" Joe asked, something clicking. "He wouldn't be Phillip Whitlock by any chance?" he demanded, his blue eyes darkening with interest.  
  
"You've heard of him?" Elie asked, surprised.  
  
"Are you kidding? He's awesome! The way he filtered the red hew from the erupting volcano and used an infrared lens to capture it without that color. That was the bomb!" Joe replied, excitement in his voice.  
  
"You know about photography?" she queried, raising an eyebrow at him.  
  
"It's..uh...a hobby of mine too," he confessed, his tan face taking on a pinkish tinge.  
  
"Are you any good?" she demanded.  
  
"I think so," Joe replied. "But I'm no professional. I take pictures of my friends at important events and the like, but I've never had anything published."  
  
"Which magazines have you tried?" Elie asked him.  
  
"None," admitted Joe. "It's a hobby. Not a career." He paused. "Not for me, anyway."  
  
"If you're really any good, you should at least try," she told him. "Even if you don't want to turn pro, selling a few pictures can help supplement your income and we students need all we can get."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind," promised Joe. "But how did you end up as photographer for Aliem?"  
  
"Dr. Anderson recommended me," Elie admitted. "He asked if I would be interested and when I said yes, he invited me to dinner at his house to meet Professor Aliem. The next day, I met with Aliem to discuss my duties."  
  
"Is photographing the stages of research your only role in the project?" Joe asked.  
  
"Not really," she replied, turning on her right signal. "I did some of the actually digging too," she told him with a laugh. "I do the photography but Dr. Anderson handles the actual developing. He works closer with Dr. Aliem than I do. Probably even more than Craig or Angela did," she added.  
  
"Why do you say that?" Joe asked as she pulled to a stop in front of Big K.  
  
Elie shrugged. "Dr. Anderson just always seems to be around Dr. Aliem. Even when they aren't working, they are usually hanging out together."  
  
"Maybe they're just friends," suggested Joe.  
  
"Could be," Elie acknowledged. "But every time I get within earshot of the two of them together, they are talking about some anomaly or a geologic pattern. I never knew Dr. Anderson was so into geology."  
  
The two got out and went inside. "Order me a number five combo, please. With a coke," Elie instructed. "I've got to hit the little girl's room."  
  
Joe ordered the requested combo then ordered two double burgers, plain, and a vanilla shake for himself. Taking a seat, Joe opened his burgers, tossed one of the buns aside and loaded the four quarter pounders onto the same bun. Opening wide and taking a bite, he closed his eyes and gave an involuntary sigh. This was what he had been craving all day.  
  
"That good, huh?" Elie asked, her eyes twinkling as she sat down opposite Joe.   
  
"Sorry," he apologized for not waiting.  
  
"Forget it," Elie told him, opening her own burger topped with everything. She took a big bite. "They are good," she said after swallowing.  
  
"Someone I talked to said a pocket of natural gas had been found," Joe commented a little later, his monster burger a thing of the past.  
  
"Oh? It wasn't really," Elie told him. "We all thought it was at the time. The professor included. But we found out the next day we had accidentally tapped into the town's natural gas pipeline."  
  
"I guess that set the university back a pretty penny," commented Joe.  
  
"I hadn't thought of that," Elie said, frowning.  
  
"How did you find out the next day?" Joe asked, his forehead wrinkling in curiosity. "Wasn't this a Friday only thing for everyone except the Professor and his assistants?"  
  
"Angela told me," Elie answered.  
  
"When did you see Angela?" Joe asked, hoping she wouldn't become suspicious because his questions seemed more focused on people than on the actual project.  
  
"That Saturday," Elie answered. "I went to the lab to find Craig when I couldn't reach him at his apartment. Angela was there and she told me about the pipe."  
  
"Did you ever find Craig?" Joe asked.  
  
"No," Elie answered, her face becoming troubled. "And then that afternoon, the university police were looking for him saying he had stolen some research of the professor's," she ended scowling.  
  
"You don't believe that?"  
  
"No," Elie confirmed. "Craig had put his work off to take me out Thursday night. So he went in late to get it done. We had another date on Friday but Professor Aliem wanted the reports done by Saturday morning. I tried to get Craig to forget the date, but he insisted we keep it. He said he would go handle the work afterwards. He didn't look too happy at the idea though," she added.  
  
"What do you mean?" Joe demanded, his blue eyes intense as they bore into her green ones.  
  
"I know it sounds silly, but I think he was afraid of being in the science building at night."  
  
"Large empty buildings tend to have that effect on some people," Joe said, himself included, but he wasn't about to tell her that!  
  
"No. It was more than that," Elie insisted. "Craig asked me if I had heard anything when I had been there at night. I hadn't and told him so. He didn't mention it again until the two days later when he told me to never go to the science building unless someone was with me."  
  
"That does sound strange," Joe agreed. 


	9. Chapter Nine

Frank was sitting at the professor's desk when a man in his early twenties entered the room. Frank looked up from the report he was reading to check him out. "Hey," Frank said. "Are you one of the new interns?"  
  
"Clarence Flyg," the young man responded, nodding his head in the affirmative. "And you are?" he inquired, his brown eyes inquisitive.  
  
"Frank Henderson," Frank introduced himself, smothering a smile at the man's unruly blond hair. It reminded him of Joe's when he first crawled out of bed. "It's a bit difficult picking up in the middle of a project," Frank continued.  
  
"Usually," Clarence agreed. "But Professor Aliem was very helpful. He met with Todd and myself and went over the project and let us go over the information he has gathered since the project's genesis."  
  
"Are you a student here?" Frank inquired.   
  
"Yes," Clarence admitted. "Professor Aliem arranged with the dean for this internship to count for six credit hours."  
  
"Not bad, considering the semester is already a fourth over," Frank commented.  
  
"Yeah," Clarence agreed, grinning as the door opened and Professor Aliem entered with another young man.  
  
"Ah, good. You're here," Aliem said to Frank. "Allow me to present Todd Remington. Todd, this is one of my other interns, Frank Henderson."  
  
Frank shook the hand of the young man, observing with interest the way his brown eyes kept glancing warily around the room. Frank got the distinct impression the boy was a bit paranoid. Or afraid.  
  
Todd released Frank's hand and nervously ran a hand through his jet-black hair. "Nice to meet you," he said, giving Frank a small smile. He turned to the professor. "I thought you said there would be two more interns besides Clarence and myself."  
  
"Joe went to see Elie about some of the photographs she had taken," Frank explained.   
  
"He will be joining us later?" Aliem inquired, lifting an eyebrow at Frank.  
  
"I'm sure of it," Frank replied.  
  
"Very good," Aliem said. "Now, let's get to work, shall we?"  
  
***  
  
Elie dropped Joe off near the science building almost an hour after they had finished eating. She had not only increased Joe's curiosity about Craig's disappearance but she had managed to bring him up to par on the project.  
  
Joe made his way to Aliem's lab where he found Frank going over something with the other two interns. Professor Aliem was nowhere to be seen. "Hi," Joe said, entering the lab.  
  
"Hi," Frank returned, smiling at his younger brother. "Joe, this is Clarence Flyg and Todd Remington. Guys, this is my brother, Joe," Frank made the introductions.  
  
Joe shook Clarence's hand then shook Todd's. Todd gasped softly when his eyes made contact with Joe's. There was something oddly familiar about Joe that disturbed Todd. As for Joe, he could sense Todd's scrutiny even though he hid it well.  
  
"You know, we can cover more ground if we split up," Clarence interrupted a little later as the four of them were debating over one of the observations made by Aliem in one of the reports. "Todd, you and Joe seem to be on the same side of this. Why don't you two go with your theory and Frank and I will work on ours."  
  
Todd shot Joe a nervous glance but remained where he was as Frank and Clarence moved away. "How do you want to do this?" Joe asked, touching Todd's hand lightly to capture his attention.  
  
Todd jerked his hand away and looked at Joe with wide eyes. Joe's blue ones narrowed speculatively. "Easy, man," Joe said with a small laugh. "I'm not going to pounce."  
  
Todd laughed nervously. "You're afraid of me," Joe observed. "Why?"  
  
"No, I'm not," Todd denied, not looking at Joe.  
  
"Don't lie to me," Joe cautioned, his tone more intimidating than he knew. "Why are you afraid of me?"  
  
"I...I.." Todd paused and licked his lips. "I am or...was...a friend of Craig's," he admitted. "Before...before he disappeared.....he changed."  
  
"Changed? How?" Joe demanded, finally making eye contact with Todd.  
  
"He was different. I mean, he was still friendly and he still looked like himself, but he..."Todd broke off. "I don't know. He just seemed sharper. More predatory."  
  
"Predatory?" Joe inquired, not understanding.  
  
"Like with Elie," Todd said. "Craig was shy. He never would have asked her out before he started working with Aliem. And, well, I saw him with her the night he disappeared. He was acting like he owned her. I was going to go over and say hello, but he looked at me and I...I was scared."  
  
"What does that have to do with me?" Joe demanded. The information he had just gotten might be useful but he still saw no connection.  
  
"You had that same gleam in your eyes when you came in and saw us with Frank," Todd told him. "Did...did something happen to you here?" he asked.  
  
"You aren't really here for the credits, are you?" parried Joe.  
  
"No," Todd admitted. "Craig is my friend and his disappearance has something to do with what changed him. I intend to find out what it was." He gave a sigh and looked into Joe's eyes once more. "If whatever happened to Craig did happen to you, then you might disappear too." 


	10. Chapter Ten

"You two about done for the day?" Frank asked, coming over to where Todd and Joe were working.  
  
"Yeah," Joe said, sitting up and stretching. "We can pick this up tomorrow."  
  
"Be careful," Todd said, standing up and walking away.  
  
"What did he mean by that?" Frank asked, frowning.  
  
"I'll tell you on the way home," Joe promised picking up the papers before him and putting them back in their proper folders. "We've got to grab our gear and get back here by seven."  
  
Joe filled Frank in on the way home. "Maybe Craig's metamorphosis was because he did take the research," Frank hypothesized.  
  
"Maybe," Joe said, not really agreeing. He hadn't told Frank everything. For some reason, he had decided to not let Frank know about Todd's comparison of himself and Craig. It made no sense. Nothing had happened to him. Joe clenched his hand as he said this, the caged wolf and the supposed scratch flitting through his mind. Great! I'm paranoid! he thought.  
  
"I wish I knew how Mayhem fit into this," Joe said, scowling.  
  
"Maybe he doesn't," Frank said as they neared their house.  
  
"Oh, puhleeze," Joe scoffed. "Three of his students are involved in this," he reminded Frank. "And he keeps late hours at the science building and he invited us to stay with him in exchange for cooking dinner and conversation. He's up to something."  
  
"The students probably just saw the poster the professor put up at the start of term," Frank said. "Just because they all have one of Mayhem's classes is nothing to get excited over. They are in the same building."  
  
"Working late?" Joe demanded.  
  
"He has live animals. Maybe he was feeding them," Frank offered an explanation.  
  
"Okay," Joe agreed. "I'll buy that. But why would he want us to stay with him?"  
  
"He wanted you," Frank reminded him. "And he's probably just being nice. Why would he suspect you, or me, of investigating the theft? He may be what he claims....lonely."  
  
Joe disagreed but kept quiet as Frank parked the van. "We won't have time for dinner before we leave," Frank said.  
  
"Just as well," Joe told him. "Our deal was we cook, or at least provide dinner every other night. Guess we had better pick up some take-out for tonight."  
  
The boys went inside, packed some clothing and bid their parents good bye. Frank promised he would be back later to catch his dad up while Joe got to know Mayhem a bit better. "Why me?" Joe whined once they were under way.  
  
"Because it was your idea," Frank told him. "I don't see how he could be involved but since you do you should get him to talk to you."  
  
"Great," grumbled Joe.  
  
They reached Mayhem's at five till seven. "Welcome, welcome," Mayhem greeted the two boys. "Oh, my," he continued, seeing the boxes of Chinese take-out they carried. "I hadn't expected you to start with dinner tonight. But I am glad you did," he ended, smiling.  
  
He led the boys inside where they deposited the dinner on the dining room table. "Let me show you boys around and then we can eat," Mayhem said. He led them on a tour of the top floor first. "My room is at the end of the hall," he informed them. "You two can have the room at this end but we'll have to share the bath unless you would care to use the one downstairs."  
  
"This is very kind of you," Frank said.  
  
"Kindness has nothing to do with it!" Mayhem assured him as the two boys set their bags down in their room. "Here is a key for each," he continued, pulling two newly made keys from his shirt pocket. "They fit only the back door, I'm afraid. The machine at the hardware store broke down before the ones for the front could be made."  
  
"This is fine," Joe told him, smiling although his eyes remained suspicious.  
  
Dr. Mayhem led the two back downstairs and showed them the living room; library; bathroom; and kitchen, ending the tour back in the dining room. "Well now, gentlemen, shall we eat?"  
  
"An excellent suggestion," Frank agreed, grinning as Joe's stomach chose that moment to voice its own opinion.  
  
After dinner, Frank excused himself and left Joe and Dr. Mayhem alone. "Your brother seemed anxious to leave," Mayhem said as he and Joe adjourned into the living room.  
  
"He has a date," Joe fibbed as he took a seat near the telephone. "So, how long have you been studying wolves?" Joe asked. The good doctor wanted conversation and that was fine with him. He felt a need to know as much about Boris Mayhem as he could.  
  
"About eight years now," Mayhem answered. "Fascinating creatures. Did you know there used to be several tribes, both here and abroad, that worshipped these creatures?"  
  
"Not surprising," Joe responded. "Let's face it, if people can worship crocodiles, why not wolves?"  
  
"Indeed," agreed Mayhem. "Wolves are extraordinary creatures. They are territorial and extremely social within their own group."  
  
"What made you decide on wolves?" Joe inquired, not really wanting a lecture on the species.  
  
"I met this young man who seemed obsessed with the creatures," Mayhem informed Joe. "No matter which subject I tried to steer him towards, he always brought it back to wolves. I'm afraid I was very short with him and rather than get angry, he challenged me to an encounter with a particular wolf he had grown acquainted with."  
  
Mayhem broke off and stared at the TV that was not on. Silence ruled the room which Joe found to be suffocating. Unable to take it any longer, Joe cleared his throat, emitting a low, almost imperceptible growl as he did so.  
  
Mayhem turned to Joe and his eyes refocused. The faraway glint, which had possessed them, vanished to be replaced by a glint that could only be described as hard and cunning. "I must apologize," Mayhem said, smiling faintly. "Occasionally, I am vexed with the sordid memory of that evening. The young man who introduced me to the wonderful world of wolves lost his life that night."  
  
"I'm sorry," Joe said softly.  
  
"As am I," Mayhem said. "But seeing the magnificence of the creature that night made me need to learn all I could." He smiled at Joe. "I'm still learning. Even after eight years there is much that I still can't comprehend."  
  
"Do you know Professor Aliem?" Joe asked, changing the subject. This was getting depressing.  
  
"We have talked occasionally," admitted Mayhem. "However, I don't think the word "know" would be entirely accurate."  
  
"But you let him use your students," Joe pushed.  
  
"At the Dean's request, yes," acknowledged Mayhem. "As I mentioned earlier, my Friday classes are mainly re-caps and question and answer days. As a scientist, I am well aware of the crunch for personnel as well as funding for projects."  
  
"But still, helping out Professor Aliem must have some kind of reward," Joe stated.  
  
"I'm sure it does," agreed Mayhem. "Otherwise you wouldn't be there for such meager earnings," he turned the tables on Joe.  
  
Joe nodded his head and gave a silent sigh. Perhaps Frank was right. Perhaps Dr. Mayhem was a lonely person whose only crime was working odd hours. 


	11. Chapter Eleven

Frank arrived home a little after eight pm and went straight to his father's office. He brought him up to date on his and Joe's findings then leaned back in the leather chair he occupied in front of his father's desk.  
  
Fenton leaned back in his chair and frowned. "There are a couple of things you mentioned that bother me," he stated.  
  
"Let me guess," Frank said. "First, why didn't Professor Aliem tell us that the natural gas pocket was a fake?" His father nodded. "And why are Professor Aliem and Professor Anderson spending so much time together?"  
  
"Maybe you should go and see Professor Anderson tomorrow," suggested Fenton. "See what all he does know about geology?" Frank nodded. "In the meantime, I will run a check on him and one on Aliem and see what I can come up with."  
  
"What about Mayhem?" Frank asked. He still didn't believe he was involved in this case but Joe's instincts were usually right on target. There had to be something going on with him.  
  
Fenton shook his head. "I ran a complete search on the man. He's brilliant and a bit eccentric, but I haven't been able to find anything to implicate he has been involved in anything illegal."  
  
"Maybe Joe will realize that while he's talking to him tonight," Frank said, grinning.  
  
"What do you and your brother have planned?" Fenton asked.  
  
"Well, our intern duties for Professor Aliem don't begin until noon," Frank began. "So, we were planning on tracking down the other people involved in the project and questioning them. Todd, one of the new interns, was a friend of Craig's. Joe is going to talk some more to him and find out where Craig's family lives. He may be at home."  
  
"You don't think so?" Fenton questioned.   
  
Frank shook his head. "I really doubt it," he admitted. His forehead wrinkled in thought. "Maybe I should check out his apartment."  
  
"You should get your brother to go with you," Fenton suggested.  
  
Frank seemed to think the suggestion over before shaking his head. "Craig is gone. He has been for a little over a week now. I doubt anyone would be at his apartment. I'll just go in and look around."  
  
"Call me on your way back to Mayhem's," Fenton instructed.   
  
"I will," Frank promised.  
  
***  
  
Joe's stomach rumbled as he stood by the fireplace looking at the statue of a wolf which possessed the center of the mantle.  
  
"That's the bad thing about Chinese food," Mayhem said, laughing. "It always leaves you hungry after thirty minutes."   
  
"Sorry," Joe apologized, blushing a bit.  
  
"No, don't apologize," Mayhem said. "I could use something a bit more substantial myself. I just happen to have some steaks available. Would you care for one?"  
  
"Sounds great," Joe said, smiling. "Thanks."  
  
"I'll put them on while you go and work on your homework. If your professors are anything like me, then I am sure you must have a ton," Mayhem ended.  
  
"Thanks," Joe said again, heading up the stairs. He paused at the top of the staircase. He was feeling a little bit traitorous because Mayhem was being so kind but he still had this feeling that there was more to Mayhem than there appeared and he couldn't rest until he found out what it was.  
  
Joe spent the next thirty minutes looking through Mayhem's bedroom, searching for anything that might implicate him not only on the case they were working on but in anything. "Joseph!" he heard Mayhem call him downstairs. Joe headed downstairs, annoyed because he hadn't found anything and hadn't had time to search more.  
  
"Does this place have a basement?" asked Joe as he sat down at the table.  
  
"No," answered Mayhem. "But that's quite all right. This place is too big for just me as is." He set Joe's plate in front of him. "I hope you like your steak rare," he said.  
  
"Mmm," Joe replied. "It looks perfect," he said, picking up his fork and knife and cutting a piece off.   
  
The two ate in silence and by the time Joe had finished his steak his eyes were drooping. He barely managed to cover his mouth as a huge yawn erupted. "I'm sorry," Joe apologized, as he dropped his hand. "I don't know why I got so sleepy all of the sudden."  
  
"Think nothing of it," Mayhem said. "I am rather tired myself. I think I shall retire to my room."  
  
"Mmm," Joe agreed, smothering another yawn. "I think I'll hit the hay too." He stood and reached for his plate.  
  
"I'll do the dishes tonight," Mayhem said. "You can do them when you cook."  
  
"Deal," Joe readily agreed. He headed up the stairs, his gait slow.  
  
Twenty minutes later, the door to the bedroom opened. Joe lay sleeping, his pajama shirt lying on the nightstand. He was on top of the cover, his foot hanging off the bed and his left hand resting at his hips were the top of his pajama pants fit snuggly against his tan skin.   
  
Mayhem watched Joe sleep for a couple of minutes then lifted the lid to the lead box he held in his hands. At once, Joe began moaning. His head moved from side to side as if he were trapped in a nightmare. Groaning, he twisted onto his side. A scream of agony burst from his lips as he fell to the floor on his hands and knees.   
  
Mayhem closed the box, smiling contentedly as Joe fell to the floor, unconscious. 


	12. Chapter Twelve

Frank scouted around Craig's apartment building. He couldn't help but thinking what college life was going to be like. Here it was ten o'clock on a Monday night and no one in the entire complex was at home.   
  
He pulled out the lock pick kit his father had given him last Christmas and set about unlocking the door to Craig's apartment. In seconds, the door swung open and he hurried inside and closed the door.  
  
Frank flipped on the light and set to work. He didn't know when the neighbors would start returning or even if the police would bother checking a light on in one of the apartments, but the less time he spent there the less chance he had of getting caught.  
  
Frank checked the kitchen; the living room; the bedroom; even the bathroom. He could find nothing related to the project that he hadn't already seen in the lab. And none of what he did find was anything that he hadn't found out he could remove from the lab on a temporary basis if needed.   
  
Frank didn't leave empty handed, however. He found a letter from Craig's parents dated the day before he had disappeared. It said that they were going on a month long vacation and would call him when they got back. That explains why his family hasn't returned any calls or answered the letter the dean sent, Frank thought. He copied down the address. It was still a possibility that Craig had returned home and wasn't answering any of the calls he received.   
  
He was getting ready to leave when he saw a stack of books by the easy chair in the living room. Curious, he picked one up. Monsters: Myth and Legends. Setting it down, he picked up two more. Legend of the Werewolf. Werewolf Encyclopedia: Everything You Always Wanted to Know but Where Afraid to Ask. Frank shook his head. Weird much! He gave a faint laugh when he noticed that every book in the stack belonged to the university library.   
  
He set the books down and left, locking the door after him. Getting back into the van, he pulled out his cell phone and called home. After telling his dad he had found nothing but the letter from Craig's parents and giving him the address, he hung up and headed back to Mayhem's house.  
  
Frank arrived to a dark house, so he went to the back door and used the key Mayhem had given him to let himself inside. He made his way upstairs and into the bedroom he shared with Joe. He turned the light on, not surprised when Joe remained motionless under the cover.   
  
Frank smiled indulgently as he saw Joe's foot hanging beneath the sheet off the bed while the rest of him was covered. Frank gently lifted Joe's foot and stuffed it under the sheet then set about getting ready for bed.  
  
***  
  
"Wake up, baby brother," Frank said, gently shaking his brother's arm the next morning. "We have a lot to do today."  
  
"What did dad say last night?" Joe mumbled, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.  
  
"He doesn't trust Aliem either," Frank informed Joe. "Plus, he thinks I should talk to Roger Anderson. If Aliem is behind his own missing research and Craig's disappearance, then Anderson is probably involved as well."  
  
"I've been thinking," Joe said, getting out of bed. "I think we should check out Craig's apartment."  
  
"I did," Frank confessed. "Last night on my way home. I didn't find anything except a letter from his parents saying they were going away for a month. I let dad know and he's going to see if Craig is there anyway."  
  
"What about Angela?" Joe asked, a thoughtful expression taking over his features as he tilted his head.  
  
"Huh? What?" Frank did a double take at his brother. He had already talked to Angela about the case, what could Joe mean? "What about Angela?"  
  
"Why did she quit?" Joe asked. "Did she suspect Aliem of wrongdoing or is she really involved?"  
  
Frank gave a self-derogatory grin. He had spent over an hour talking to her and not once thought to ask her why she had left the project. "Good question," he congratulated his brother. "I'll drop you off at campus and then head back to her house and ask her why she quit. Although," he added, "I still don't think she was involved in anything illegal."  
  
"You don't have to drop me off at campus," Joe told him. "We're only a couple of blocks from there now, I can walk. Besides, I want to check out this place when Mayhem isn't around. Just tell him I don't have to be there until later and am sleeping in. When he leaves, I'll check the place over."  
  
"Joe, I think you're wasting your time with Mayhem. He's a nice guy. A bit eccentric, I'll give you, but that's no crime. Aliem and Anderson are our prime suspects and we need to concentrate on them," Frank lectured.  
  
"Look," Joe said, running a hand through his hair. "I can't explain it but I just have this gut feeling that the good doctor is involved in Craig's disappearance even if he isn't involved with the missing research." Frank looked like he was about to argue but Joe kept going. "I'll make a deal with you. Let me search this place and if I don't find something linking him to either Craig or the research then I won't say another word and will give Aliem all my attention while you concentrate on Anderson."  
  
Frank looked at Joe thoughtfully. It might be best to let Joe get this out of his system. "All right," he agreed. "But be at the lab this afternoon?"  
  
"Promise," Joe agreed, smiling.  
  
When Frank went downstairs Dr. Mayhem was on his way out. "Ah, where is Joe?" he asked, frowning when he never appeared behind Frank.  
  
"He doesn't have to be there until noon," Frank replied. "He's sleeping in."  
  
"I guess it was a good thing you two moved in here then," Dr. Mayhem observed. "I suppose he didn't get to sleep late when you two had to arrive together."  
  
"You're right about that," Frank agreed with a smile, following Mayhem out the back door. "And Joe does love to sleep."  
  
Frank climbed in the van and waited until Mayhem drove away before pulling out of his parking space. He arrived at the Thompson estate and was admitted inside quicker than he had been the first time.  
  
"Frank, wasn't it?" Angela asked by way of greeting when she opened the door to him.  
  
"Yes," Frank acknowledged with a slight inclination of his head. "I was hoping I could ask you one more question."  
  
"Very well," she said, crossing her arms and smiling.  
  
"Why did you quit working for Professor Aliem?"  
  
"I didn't quit," Angela told him. "I was fired." 


	13. Chapter 13

Joe stood at the window and watched first Mayhem, and then Frank, leave before dressing. Once he had his clothes on he headed downstairs. He had given Mayhem's bedroom a fairly good going over last night while the steaks had been cooking and saw no need to go over it again. He decided to begin in the library and work his way to the kitchen. If he had found nothing by then, it was time to uphold his end of the deal although he knew Mayhem was up to something. And if I find nothing, Joe vowed, I'll help Frank finish this mystery and then get on Mayhem's trail again.  
  
Almost three hours later, Joe was standing in the kitchen with a disgusted look on his face. He had been all over the house and discovered nothing suspicious. Joe gave a low growl then ran back upstairs and grabbed his backpack. Coming back downstairs, his stomach growled and he promised himself he would swing by the cafeteria for something to eat before heading to the science building. He exited the house, locking the door after him.   
  
Joe looked toward the street, his stomach beginning to hurt because he was so hungry. Why was he so hungry all the time lately, he wondered? Wolves eat about twenty pounds of meat daily. The sentence flashed into his head. He shook his head. "I watch way too much Animal Planet," he mumbled. He looked toward the back of the house and figured it would be a short cut to campus if he simply cut through Mayhem's yard and the yard of the apartment complex next door. Grinning, he headed in that direction, coming to an abrupt stop when he spied a window at ground level behind the house.  
  
Mayhem had said there was no basement. But if there was no basement, then why was there a basement window? Joe laid his backpack down and fell to the ground so he could get a good look into what the basement held but it was too dark to see anything. Standing, Joe walked around the house to see if there was an outside entrance to the basement. No. Picking up his backpack after he had made a full circle, Joe went back inside. There had to be an entrance in here somewhere and he wasn't going to leave until he found it.  
  
Joe looked around the kitchen. Their basement was accessed through a door next to the laundry room but this one had no laundry room. Would it be in another room in the house? Possible, but still, he had seen no door when he had looked around. No. Dr. Mayhem had hidden the entrance with something. But what? His blue eyes fell onto the hutch against the wall. It was filled with dinnerware but maybe Mayhem unloaded it before he moved it.   
  
Joe stepped up to the hutch and peered behind it. It was too close to the wall to see anything. Maybe, if he could scoot it just a little, he put his hands on the edge near the back and pushed with all his might. The hutch went sliding toward the kitchen table. Surprised but not motionless, Joe rushed forward and stopped it before the two pieces of furniture could collide. "Gliders," Joe said, grinning as he looked from the hutch back to the now visible entryway to the basement.   
  
He tried the knob. Locked. Of course he would lock it, Joe thought. In case it was discovered. Which means Mayhem really does have something to hide.   
  
Joe reached down into his sock and pulled out a nail file which he had filed down to resemble a skeleton key and set about opening the lock. Like Frank, his father had also given him a professional lock pick kit to keep on him for this type of use but then, his dad had no idea he was capable of picking locks without it.   
  
When Joe was four, he had been abducted from a carnival funhouse. His abductors had tried many things to keep him from crying and one of those things had been to teach him how to pick locks. Over the years, he had fine-toned this knowledge so that he could open just about any door with his handy nail file. Occasionally, he would carry and use the kit but only because it was a gift from his dad.   
  
In no time at all, the basement door opened and Joe flipped on the light switch located just inside and to the right. He went down the steps and gave a low whistle. The place had been transformed into a laboratory that rivaled the ones in the science building at Bayport University.  
  
On one side there were fluorescent lights situated in front of the basement window that Joe could now see had been painted black. Below the lights were two tables. One held various test tubes some empty and some with different colored fluids inside them. Two looked like they held blood. The other table had a lone folder lying on it. Joe walked over and flipped it open. There was a picture of him and a file. It was the fake file his dad had made for his admittance to the university except, he noted on closer inspection, it listed his blood type. That hadn't been in the original. How had Mayhem found out?  
  
Joe looked around some more. There was a file cabinet next to a large cage that Joe went to next. He pulled open the top drawer and saw two files there. One was labeled Craig Deyman and the other one was labeled Jonathan Ambrose. Joe opened the folders and glanced through them. Craig's was a bit like his own except it had even more detailed medical information. Jonathan's folder was entirely in Mayhem's handwriting and was filled with various test names and the results from those tests. Joe kept looking through the folder and felt his blood run cold. Mayhem was using them as lab rats.   
  
Joe put the folders back and looked at the empty cage. "Almost empty cage," Joe corrected his thoughts. He pulled the door open and stepped inside. Lying near the base was a black cord necklace with a silver medallion on it.   
  
Joe lifted the cord and held it up to eye level. The initials CD were carved onto it. "Craig," Joe said, his tone grim. He let the necklace fall into the front pocket of his shirt as he stood up. Now he had proof. He had to show Frank. He had to tell him about the lab and the folders.   
  
Joe hurried back upstairs, turned the light off, locked the door back and slid the hutch back into place. Leaving, he locked the door and took off for campus at a run. As he reached the convocation center on the outskirts of campus he saw Aliem getting behind the wheel of a blue Colt Vista. "No," Joe moaned. How was he going to follow him without wheels?  
  
"Hey!" shouted a familiar voice as a red truck pulled up beside him. "I thought that was you," Elie said. "You shouldn't just stop in the middle of the road. You could get hit."  
  
"Elie!" Joe said gleefully. "I need a BIG favor."  
  
"Uh-huh?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.  
  
"I need to follow Professor Aliem," Joe said.  
  
"Why?" she demanded. "Are you some kind of stalker or something?"  
  
"Something," Joe replied. "I'm a detective. Look, I'll explain it to you on the way." He gave her the same look he gave Frank when he wanted his way. Unlike Frank who was so used to Joe's ploys he could deny him, Elie had no such experience.  
  
"Climb in," Elie said with a sigh. "This had better be good."  
  
Joe jumped in the passenger side. "Don't let him see us," Joe directed as he buckled up.  
  
As Elie followed the Vista at a safe distance Joe told her about the case.  
  
"I don't get it," she said, interrupting him halfway through his dialogue. "If you are trying to help Professor Aliem then why are you following him?"  
  
"Because we think he stole his own research," Joe explained.  
  
"Why would he do that?" she demanded. "He would lose his grant."  
  
"I don't know," Joe admitted. "But it does have something to do with the natural gas pocket you found that Friday."  
  
"But it was a pipe that burst," Elie refuted.   
  
"Was it?" Joe asked. "Aliem told us that the natural gas pocket was probably the reason his research was stolen. He told us this Sunday. From what you said, he would have known a week ago Saturday that the pocket wasn't real."  
  
"But if he were involved, why wouldn't he have just lied to you about it?" Elie asked,  
  
Joe shrugged as the Vista came to a stop in front of a restaurant. "Probably because the dean was there." Elie pulled to a stop down the street and Joe unbuckled his seat belt. "Thanks for the lift," Joe said, opening the door.  
  
"Want me to wait?" Elie asked.  
  
Joe shook his head. "Aliem has to be on campus soon. If he isn't meeting someone here then I doubt he will go anywhere else afterwards. Thanks," he said, getting out.  
  
"Anytime," Elie told him. "Be careful," she cautioned as Joe closed the door.  
  
Joe went inside, spied Aliem and another man sitting in a corner booth and headed in their direction. He stopped at a nearby booth and gave the waitress his order when she arrived.  
  
As Joe ate he listened to the two men talk. They had been right. Aliem and Anderson were responsible for the stolen research. Aliem was talking to a representative of an oil company and discussing the sale of the land on which the natural gas pocket had been found. Aliem was assuring the man that as a geologist he had done all of the necessary tests to assure this was going to be well worth the investment.   
  
"You realize we will have to have our own geologist investigate the land," the man said.  
  
"Of course," Aliem agreed at once. "However, it will be at least a month before you can do this," he continued. "My associate has an..er... field trip planned to discuss the rock formations found there."  
  
"Understood," the man said. "Now, if you will excuse me, I must be on my way. Please, call me when you are ready for our men to arrive."  
  
"I will. Thank you," Aliem said, standing to shake the man's hand. Aliem's smile vanished as he spied the blond head in the booth nearest to them. "Waitress, check please," Aliem said as his guest walked away. The waitress arrived promptly and Aliem pulled out a fifty and handed it to her. "Keep the change," he said. He headed out of the building, not turning toward Joe as he left.  
  
Joe paid his bill and left the restaurant. This mystery was so over. All he had to do was tell Frank and his dad and they could get the representative's testimony and that would be the end. He was sure Aliem had to of shown the man something to convince him the find was on the level and if the rep didn't have it them Aliem still had it in his possession.   
  
Joe arrived on campus in record time. He hurried to Aliem's lab, wondering if Frank was already there. It was still over a half an hour before Aliem, Frank and the other interns were supposed to be present but Joe could think of no better place to wait. He couldn't talk to Mayhem about Craig since Mayhem was in class and besides, that would have given away the fact that he knew something about Craig's being at Mayhem's. No, he would wait in the lab.   
  
Aliem was in the lab when Joe arrived. "Uh, hi," Joe said. "Frank was supposed to meet me here," he lied. He didn't think Aliem had spotted him but just in case, he wanted to make sure he knew he wouldn't have time to do anything.  
  
"That's good," Aliem said, smiling. "I would like to hear how you two are doing on this case," he continued, pouring a soda into a cup. "Here," he offered the rest of the bottle to Joe. "You look thirsty and I never could finish a whole one."  
  
"Thanks," Joe said, taking the soda. As Aliem lifted the cup to his lips, Joe tipped the bottle and let the contents slide down his throat. He was thirsty after running to campus.  
  
"So, tell me," Aliem began. "When did you realize I was behind the stolen research?"  
  
Joe spun around and headed for the door but his movements were slow and Aliem was holding his arm tightly before he reached it. The world started spinning and everything faded to black. 


	14. Chapter 14

Frank left Angela's anxious to talk to Joe but he knew Joe would still be at Mayhem's. Not wanting to waste time there, Frank headed for campus. He was positive Aliem was responsible for his own missing research but now he needed to find out if Anderson was involved as well.   
  
Frank arrived at Anderson's office and rapped lightly on the door. "Enter," Professor Anderson said. Frank went inside and closed the door behind him.  
  
"May I help you?" Anderson asked, looking up at Frank with a questioning look.  
  
"My name is Frank Hardy," Frank introduced himself. "I am one of Professor Aliem's new interns."  
  
"Yes, he has mentioned you," Anderson acknowledged. "What may I do for you?"  
  
"Um, I understand you recommended Elie Whitlock for the project?" Frank began.   
  
"That is correct," agreed Anderson, giving Frank his full attention.   
  
Frank definitely did not like this professor. His scrutiny was making him feel uncomfortable and his manner was that of someone who was on the offensive. "I was wondering if you could tell me why you chose her," Frank fibbed. He had to start the conversation somewhere. If this man wanted to fence, he was more than willing. Frank was more than Anderson's match.  
  
"She's an excellent student who has remarkable skill with a camera," Anderson said. "But I don't understand why that should matter to an intern."  
  
"I'm not an intern," Frank said, well aware his words were having no effect on the man. "I'm a private investigator. My brother and I are attempting to discover who took Professor Aliem's research."  
  
"Craig, I believe, is the most likely suspect. Or perhaps Angela," Anderson suggested.   
  
"Craig has disappeared," Frank pointed out.  
  
"Precisely why it is obvious he is the thief," Anderson stated.  
  
"I wouldn't say it was so obvious," Frank disagreed. "Convenient, perhaps."  
  
"Excuse me?" Anderson said, looking at Frank in disbelief. "Why would you say that?"  
  
"It is possible that Craig saw the thief and was taken out of the picture," Frank stated. "Once he was gone, it would be easy enough to frame him."  
  
"Possible," Anderson concurred. "Why do you think Craig is innocent?"  
  
"In my experience, a theft of this sort seldom results in the immediate disappearance of the culprit. It is much more common for the thief to maintain a semblance of normalcy," Frank explained.   
  
"So you believe the thief is still on campus?" Anderson inquired. Frank nodded his head.   
  
"Well that narrows it down to fifteen thousand," he said smugly.  
  
"Or eleven," Frank said, thinking of the nine students as well as Aliem and Anderson.  
  
"Well, this has been most interesting," Anderson said, rising. "But you will have to excuse me. I must prepare for my next class." He ushered Frank out of his office and shut the door.  
  
Frank wanted to listen at the keyhole but there were too many students milling about in the hallway so he headed to the science building. He found Clarence and Todd just going into Aliem's lab.  
  
"The professor isn't here yet?" Frank asked, looking at his watch. Twelve on the nose.   
  
"Everyone is entitled to be late once in awhile," Clarence responded with a shrug, pulling his key from the lab door. The three boys went inside and began work. It was almost an hour later before Aliem arrived.   
  
"Sorry I'm late," he apologized. "I had car trouble."  
  
Todd noticed Frank glancing at his watch and then at the door on several different occasions and worked his way over to him. "Joe's disappeared, hasn't he?" he asked, his tone worried.  
  
Frank narrowed his eyes on Todd. "What makes you say that?" he asked, his voice soft but his tone threatening.  
  
"Easy man," Todd said, backing up a bit. "I told Joe he should be careful."  
  
"Why?" Frank asked. "What do you know about what's going on?"  
  
"Not as much as I would like too," Todd admitted. "But I know Joe and Craig have something in common and that's why he disappeared."  
  
"What do they have in common?" Frank asked, tilting his head and looking at Todd questioningly. The guy seemed to know what he was talking about but he couldn't understand what Todd meant.  
  
Todd shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure," he replied. "But I noticed it the first time I saw Joe. He had the same look in his eyes that Craig did right before he disappeared."  
  
"Joe mentioned you were a friend of Craig's and was working for Aliem in order to find out what happened to Craig," Frank said. "But he never said anything about having something in common with him."  
  
"Have you noticed a change in Joe?" Todd asked.  
  
"Just that he seems to be obsessed with the esteemed Dr. Mayhem," Frank said with a sigh.  
  
"That's all?" Todd pushed.   
  
Frank thought about the past couple of days. Joe seemed a bit scared and well, almost paranoid but he wasn't going to tell Todd that! "That's it," Frank said.  
  
"Maybe I was wrong," Todd said. "I hope so. I like your brother."  
  
"Thanks," Frank said. "I think I'm going to cut out of here and see if I can find him," he continued. "He really should have been here by now."  
  
Frank told Aliem and Clarence he had to leave because of a dental appointment then headed straight for Mayhem's house. Joe wasn't there but neither was his backpack so whatever happened to prevent Joe from being in the lab happened after he had left for campus.   
  
Frank pulled out his cell phone and put a call in to his father. He told his dad that Joe was missing but didn't mention the conversation he had with Todd, thinking it really had nothing to do with the case.  
  
"This isn't good," Fenton said in response to Frank's report. "I have some news too. Craig's car was found. It had been impounded for being parked in a lot he wasn't registered for."  
  
"So Craig was kidnapped or...." Frank couldn't bear to say it. What if Joe had met the same end? Joe and Craig have something in common. Todd's words flashed through his mind.  
  
"Or murdered," Fenton ended for Frank, unaware of his son's thoughts.  
  
"I'm going to head back to campus," Frank said. "Aliem was late getting to the lab this afternoon. Maybe he grabbed Joe."  
  
"Good idea," Fenton approved. "If he did take your brother then he might lead us to where he is holding him."  
  
Frank hung up and headed back to campus. He was just about to enter the science building when he saw Elie exit, a frown on her face. "Hello," Frank said. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"Hmm?" she asked, looking up at him, her expression worried.   
  
"Is there something wrong?" he asked. "You look like you just lost your best friend."  
  
"Well, a new one, anyway," she replied, giving him a brief smile. "I was expecting to find someone in one of the labs this afternoon, but he hasn't shown up.  
  
"You're Elie Whitlock, right?" Frank said, knowing he was right because Joe had described her perfectly.   
  
She nodded. "How do you..." she began but Frank cut her off with an introduction.  
  
"I'm Frank Henderson. Joe's brother."  
  
"Frank Hardy," she corrected him. "Joe told me about the case when I gave him a lift earlier."  
  
"You saw him?" Frank jumped on her words. "When? Where did you take him?"  
  
"He wanted to follow Professor Aliem," she said. "I dropped him off at Bailey's Grill downtown. He said he could find his own way back to campus. But he wasn't in the lab."  
  
"He never showed up," Frank said.   
  
"How can I help?" Elie asked.  
  
"You just did," Frank said. "I thought Aliem was behind Joe's absence. Now I'm sure of it." 


	15. Chapter 15

Aliem was staying on campus until five so Frank went to see the dean. "Come in," Dean Ravelson said, opening his door and ushering Frank inside. "How is the case coming along?"  
  
"The pocket of natural gas that you mentioned when you stopped by our house," Frank said, ignoring the dean's question and getting straight to the point. "Was it a pipeline?"  
  
"No," the dean answered. "Whatever gave you that idea?"  
  
"Who owns the land it was found on?" Frank asked, his expression intense.  
  
"The university."  
  
"Has anyone attempted to purchase the land?" Frank asked.  
  
"As a matter of fact, yes," was Ravelson's startled reply. "The university was planning on selling the land but it was the ideal place for the work Professor Aliem was doing. However, if his grant falls through, we will probably sell it. It would cost more to grade it for building than it is worth."  
  
"But there might be oil on it," Frank said, confused. "And there is definitely natural gas."  
  
"Oh, no," Ravelson said quickly. "Professor Aliem assured me that the pocket was a small one and the land couldn't possibly harbor any oil."  
  
"And you believed him?" Frank asked, surprised.  
  
"Why wouldn't I?" the dean demanded, his expression one of a very confused man.  
  
"Who has been trying to purchase the land?" Frank asked, ignoring yet another question of the dean's.   
  
"A woman by the name of Michelle Ryland."  
  
Frank thanked the dean for his help and promised to tell him what was going on later. Outside the office and on his way back to the science building, Frank put in a call to his father. "Can you run a check on Michelle Ryland?" he asked, explaining about the land.  
  
"Will do," Fenton promised. "Call me when you leave campus," he ordered. "I don't want you to go missing too."  
  
Frank reached the science building in time to see Clarence and Todd leaving. "What's going on?" Frank asked, looking alarmed. "Why are you leaving so early?"  
  
"I thought you had a dental appointment," Clarence said.  
  
"Did you find Joe?" Todd asked.  
  
"No," Frank admitted. "But I think Professor Aliem knows where he is."  
  
"The professor has already left," Clarence said. "He left a few minutes after you did. He told us to finish what we were doing and lock up on our way out this afternoon."  
  
Frank scowled. "Did he say why he was leaving or where he was going?" he asked hopefully.  
  
Clarence shook his head. "Sorry," Todd answered. "Need some help?"  
  
"Definitely," Frank replied. "But my dad's," he added giving Todd a brief smile of gratitude. Frank pulled his cell phone out and called his dad again.  
  
"You're leaving campus already?" Fenton asked, surprised to hear Frank's voice so soon.  
  
"Aliem has already left," he informed his father. "I need his home address."  
  
"Seven seventy four Meadowview Drive," Fenton replied at once. "I'll meet you there."  
  
Frank arrived first. By the time Fenton arrived, Frank had already reached the conclusion no one was home. "I found out who Michelle Ryland is," Fenton informed Frank. "She's Aliem's wife's brother's wife." He pulled out his cell phone and called Chief Collig. He reported Joe as missing and asked the chief to get a warrant to search the house.   
  
Less than thirty minutes later, Collig arrived at Aliem's house with warrant in hand. "Judge Galloway was in the station when you called," Collig said, walking up to Frank and Fenton as two more patrol cars arrived.   
  
They searched the house and came up empty. Collig ordered one of the officers to remain in the area and notify headquarters when anyone showed up and then he and the Hardys went to the university while the other officers returned to their normal duties.  
  
"He's not here," Frank said, unlocking the lab door so his dad and the Chief could go inside. "Where could he have gone?"  
  
"To see Anderson maybe?" Fenton hypothesized. "I'll talk to the dean and get Anderson's address. You check Anderson's office."  
  
Frank nodded and left. He was almost to the exit when Mayhem caught up with him. "Where's Joe?" Mayhem inquired. "I haven't seen him all day."  
  
"He's missing," Frank answered. "We think Professor Aliem kidnapped him. Have you seen Aliem this afternoon?"  
  
"Missing?" Mayhem croaked. "Aliem? Why would he kidnap Joe?"  
  
"Joe and I are detectives," Frank confessed. "Aliem stole his own research and tried to frame Craig. Joe was following Aliem earlier today but no one has seen him since before lunch."  
  
"Oh dear," Mayhem said. "You don't think he would be back at the house do you?"   
  
Frank shook his head. "Joe's too responsible to not let me know if he were there. However," Frank continued, running a hand through his wavy hair the way he always did when he was worried, "if you are finished for the day, you could go home in case he shows up there. He's been acting kind of out of it lately."  
  
"Of course," agreed Mayhem at once.  
  
"If he does show up, have him call me on my cell?" Frank asked.  
  
"I will," Mayhem promised. He watched as Frank left then headed upstairs for a few things he couldn't do without. Tonight was going to be a full moon and with Joe missing, there was no telling how much longer it would be safe to be around.  
  
***  
  
When Joe came too, he sat up slowly, a wave of dizziness washing over him. He had no idea how long he had been unconscious but his stomach was screaming for something to eat and he was feeling decidedly off. He stood up in the dimly lit room and looked around. He was in a cellar of some kind. He tried the door but it was locked tight.   
  
Groaning, Joe bent down to retrieve the nail file from his sock but it was gone. Joe checked all his pockets. Everything had been taken from him. Whoever had grabbed him had made sure he had nothing with which to escape.   
  
Joe let out a low growl and kicked at the dirt floor, falling to his knees as his head began to throb. Grabbing his head, he pushed against it tightly, moaning as his jaws began to ache. Another moan followed, louder this time as he fell forward, catching himself with his hands.  
  
A jarring crunch could be heard as bones popped out of his shoulders. His chest heaved rapidly as his body grew too big for his clothing that fell as rags from his budding furry body.  
  
A scream of intense agony became a howl as his nose turned into a snout and his teeth elongated. A large drop of salvia fell to the dirt floor as his blue eyes glazed over briefly before turning a blue so intense they were almost black.   
  
He turned his head to look at the door and his eyes glowed yellow as the light hit them at an angle. He ran at the cellar door. It gave a shudder but held fast. He backed up to the far side of the wall then took another run-a-go. He crashed into the door and fell. Getting up, he shook himself and began howling. 


	16. Conclusion

Frank poured the last of the coffee into his cup. Like his parents, he had been up all night waiting for word about Joe. Anderson had already left by the time Frank reached his office so Frank hurried to the dean's office to find his father and Chief Collig already there. They brought Ravelson up to date while they waited for his secretary to bring in the personnel files on Aliem and Anderson. Things had moved with speed after that. Chief Collig had obtained a search warrant for Anderson's home and his office, like Aliem's lab and office, had been thoroughly searched and all papers concerning Aliem's project had been confiscated and taken down to headquarters where they would be gone over by a select group of scientists for evidence of falsifying.   
  
Fenton and Frank had returned home to await word that Aliem or Anderson had been spotted but it was almost five am and they had yet to hear from anyone. "Put on a fresh pot," Fenton suggested.  
  
"I'll do it," Laura volunteered, rising from her chair at the kitchen table. The three had spent the first two hours in the living room before moving to the kitchen for another two. The migratory pattern had been repeated all evening and well into the morning. She put in a fresh filter and began measuring coffee.  
  
"They have to show up sometime," Frank said for the hundredth time. He looked at his father, his soulful brown eyes begging for an affirmative response.  
  
Fenton, losing hope himself, sighed and stared down into his almost empty coffee cup. Laura, having finished starting a fresh pot, sat back down. "Oooh!" she gasped in surprise when the phone rang. Frank was there in a second but his father had already beat him to it.  
  
Fenton hung up and looked at Frank. "Aliem came home but he's getting ready to leave." Fenton leaned down and kissed Laura. "We'll be home soon with Joe," he promised.  
  
Laura gave him a brave smile then turned her cheek up to accept the kiss Frank gave her before he followed his father out the door. They arrived at Aliem's street in minutes and met the officer who was across the street keeping guard. "He's been out to the car three times already," Officer Limpkin informed the Hardys. "He's packing and I don't think he's planning on coming back."  
  
They waited until Aliem had finished and got behind the wheel of his car before they separated and prepared to follow. Frank climbed on his motorcycle and Fenton got into his car. The officer had already pulled out and was on Aliem's tail.  
  
A little later Aliem pulled off the main highway and traveled up a gravel road. He drove a little ways and came to a stop at a cabin. Frank hid a grin as he pulled off the road and parked his cycle in the bushes. Aliem may have a doctorate in geology but the guy was so dense he hadn't once checked to see if he had been followed.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Anderson's voice could be heard coming from the cabin as Aliem opened the door to go inside. "You idiot! Were you followed?" Anderson poked his head outside and looked around but Frank, like Fenton and the officer, were too experienced to be seen.   
  
Frank knew Officer Limpkin would have called for back up by now but he wanted to know where Joe was before they arrived. He sneaked up to the window and peered inside. His father was behind him in no time and together they listened to the two men talk as Officer Limpkin took up position at the other window to listen.   
  
"Relax," Aliem told him. "I wasn't followed. And what if I was, huh? This whole thing has blown up in our faces just like I predicted it would. I should never have told you about the gas."  
  
"You didn't think it was such a bad idea when we stood to make millions out of the deal," Anderson retorted. "Besides, if you hadn't grabbed Joe Hardy, we could have gotten away with it. Fraud is one thing, kidnapping and murder is something else entirely."  
  
Anderson's words made Frank's blood run cold. He started to bolt for the front door but was stopped by the tight grip his father kept on his arm as the men continued speaking.  
  
"What murder?" Aliem demanded. "The kid's still alive."  
  
"What about Craig? You killed him didn't you?" Anderson demanded. "That's why he hasn't turned up anywhere."  
  
"I didn't touch Craig," Aliem stated, drawing himself up to look even taller than normal. "I wouldn't have bothered Joe if he hadn't followed me and heard me talking with that representative of the oil company."  
  
"Then where is Craig?" Anderson demanded.  
  
"How should I know?" Aliem demanded. "Joe is our concern, not Craig. I don't go in for killing either. If I did, he would be dead by now. Instead, I just gave him something to keep him unconscious for a bit."  
  
"Not for long enough, though," Anderson commented with a grimace. "That kid put up one major ruckus last night. You should have heard him!"  
  
"What did you do to get him to shut up?" Aliem asked, curious.  
  
"Forget the kid," Anderson snarled. "We need to get out of here. You have the rest of the money you took?"  
  
"Of course I do," Aliem replied. "We may have lost out on the land deal because of those brats but I earned this money."  
  
"No you didn't," Anderson corrected him. "Falsifying your findings so you can keep getting grants and gyp the university out of a major oil field doesn't count as earning," he sneered.  
  
"You should know," Aliem returned. "You only won that last photography award of yours because you stole the picture from one of your students."  
  
Anderson snarled. "Let's just divvy it up and split before the cops do find this place."  
  
"How could they?" Aliem asked airily. "It's in the middle of nowhere."  
  
"Because it belongs to my first cousin," Anderson replied. "Don't you think they'll check on something like that when we don't show up for classes today?"  
  
"The university wouldn't go so far," Aliem disagreed.  
  
"But the Hardys would."  
  
"What are we going to do with the kid?" Aliem asked, pausing as he started to unzip a suitcase.  
  
"We'll leave him," Anderson answered. "If the police find this place, they'll find him."  
  
"But what if they don't get here before he dies of thirst or something?" Aliem argued.  
  
"Who cares?" Anderson retorted. "He's no longer a problem. Now give me my money so I can clear out."  
  
Aliem opened the suitcase and pulled out some cash. As he and Anderson busied themselves counting, Chief Collig and several officers arrived on the scene. They crept closer and positioned themselves. After learning from Fenton, Frank, and Limpkin that Joe was safely in another part of the house and the men had made a full confession in their presence, although it was unknown, the chief ordered his men to move in.  
  
Fenton and Frank hurried into the house after they were given permission and quickly made their way down to the cellar. Pushing the deadbolt back, Fenton pulled the heavy door open and Frank rushed inside, falling to his knees beside the naked, curled form of his baby brother.  
  
"Joe," Frank said softly, reaching out and touching Joe gently.   
  
Joe whimpered and curled up tighter. "Easy baby brother," Frank said as their father entered and took off his jacket. He wrapped it around Joe as Frank pulled Joe to a sitting position and into his arms.   
  
Frank felt wet tears seep from Joe's face onto his shirt and his face flared red as a bolt of anger shot through him. Frank looked at his father whose murderous expression rivaled his own. Fenton rose and headed upstairs. Frank held his brother tightly as the heated voices filtered through the open door.   
  
"What the hell did you do to my son?" Fenton demanded, grabbing Anderson by the shirt collar and shoving him roughly against he wall, one fist cocked and ready.   
  
"Nothing," Anderson replied nervously as two of the officers present tried to physically remove Fenton from such close proximity.  
  
"Don't give me that!" shouted Fenton, his brown eyes smoldering. "What did you do to him?!" he demanded as he was hauled back and held with both arms thrust up behind his back.  
  
"Nothing!" Anderson repeated. "I swear!" he added, his voice raising in fright.  
  
"Get him them out of here," Collig ordered, referring to Aliem and Anderson. "And get an ambulance here."  
  
After Aliem and Anderson were removed from the cabin, Fenton was released and he and Chief Collig went down to the cellar where Frank was holding Joe and tenderly stroking his hair telling him everything was going to be alright. Frank looked at his father as he entered the cellar, his cheeks wet with tears. "He won't talk," Frank whispered.   
  
"It's okay, Son," Fenton said, kneeling beside his sons and touching Joe's back gently. "You're safe now."  
  
***  
  
Joe was taken to the hospital and given a complete physical. Nothing could be found wrong with him except for the shock he seemed to be experiencing. After spending most of the day in the hospital for observation, Joe was taken home.  
  
"Feeling better?" Laura asked, taking the mug from her son's hand. She hadn't been able to get him to eat anything so she had made him some broth insisting he have something before going to bed.   
  
Joe nodded and gave her a wan smile. "Thanks," he said.   
  
Frank looked at Joe speculatively. Joe was beginning to recover but he still seemed reserved; a word no one had ever used in reference to him before. "I think I'll go to bed now," Joe said, rising.  
  
Frank walked Joe upstairs after his parents had given him hugs and kisses goodnight. "Want me to stay awhile?" Frank asked, prepared to spend the night in Joe's room.  
  
"No," Joe refused the offer. "I'm fine. Really."  
  
"What happened?" Frank asked.  
  
"I overheard Aliem and...." Joe began but Frank cut him off.  
  
"No. I know about that. What happened after they got you? Why were your clothes torn to shreds? What did Anderson do to you?" Frank pushed.  
  
Joe shook his head. "I...I don't know what happened," he lied, not looking at Frank. Joe opened a drawer and pulled out his pajamas. "Can we...can we talk about this some other time?" he asked. "I'm really tired."  
  
"Yeah, sure," Frank agreed, looking worried. "If you need anything, just yell."  
  
"I will," promised Joe, giving Frank the best smile he could muster at this point.  
  
Frank left Joe and went to his own room. He checked on Joe twenty minutes later, covered his arms up, then returned to his own room and went to bed. Almost an hour later, Joe quietly rose from bed and peered into his brother's room. He could make out the soft rise and fall of his chest and heard the faint sound of even breathing.   
  
Positive Frank was asleep, Joe dressed and crept from his room. He could hear his mom snoring gently and his dad roll over as he made his way down the hall and downstairs. He turned off the alarm and exited the house. He rolled his motorcycle out of the garage and down the street where he got on and started it, sure it would not awaken them from such a distance.  
  
Something had happened to him in the cellar. Something unspeakable. He had to know why and if there was a way to stop it from happening again. Joe headed toward Mayhem's house. He knew without a doubt his metamorphosis had something to do with Mayhem and he was going to find out what.  
  
He arrived at Mayhem's house and went to the back door. He no longer had a key to the place so he knocked. No answer. Growling in frustration, Joe twisted the handle and lifted his fist to knock harder but dropped it when the knob turned and the door opened. Joe went inside, his enhanced senses letting him know the place was deserted without even looking. Joe moved to the basement door. It stood exposed and open. He raced downstairs. Very little remained. Mayhem had cleared out.   
  
Joe exited the house and sat down on the steps of the back porch. He leaned against the pillar supporting the roof of the porch and stared up at the moon. A new cycle had started. A short span of time in which Joe had to track down Mayhem and get some answers.   
  
End of Caustic Heritage.  
  
Continues with Mythical Veracity. 


End file.
